Blue Titanium
by YinYangSisters
Summary: It didn't matter how many childhoods were forfeited, how many lives had been lost over these past 100 years, or how many hours Zuko and Katara spent doing paperwork to solidify Peace Treaties between Nations; eventually, they all started to realize, that Avatar or not, the war would never end as easily as it had started. ZUTARA
1. Chapter 1

Woah...this is weird. Haven't written or even read fanfiction in like a year...but starting off with something new; Zutara! Was planning on keeping this as a One-Shot, but I think I'll extend it a bit...5 or 6 chapters maybe? Let me know if you would actually care if I continued! :)

Forgive me if I'm a little rusty...:) But reviews would make me happy!

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR:THE LAST AIRBENDER

* * *

**Blue Titanium**

She was given the nickname Blue Titanium a little before the war ended. Before then, the progression between a mature teen to hardened war veteran was only apparent to those with the keenest of eyes. It was very simple things, really, that caused her personality and the life within her to slowly fall recessive to what war had done to her. Things like laughing, for example.

A month before the war, Momo stealing Sokka's banana would have drawn a light hearted giggle from her. But now, the only things she would ever pay attention to, like peace treaties and uprisings were never a laughing matter. He knew this, of course; he was the fire lord. Nevertheless, he was not adjusting soundly to the new Katara.

Because of how she had become, hardened and cut off from everyone, it silently ended the relationship she had with the avatar. But he had heard them talking in the study of his mansion where they had to stay due to the small rebellions that would occur in the fire nation, by people who still believed that the element of fire was still superior.

He knew that he shouldn't have been eavesdropping, and how the maids would hold in their laughter when they had seen the mighty fire lord's ear pressed up again the door. But he was seventeen, and just as curious as any other seventeen year old. He could still remember that muffled conversation, and how ironic it was how the avatar could save everyone else, just not her.

_"Aang...look," she said softly. "I don't think that this is a good idea anymore." He was silent, and so she continued. "I just don't feel like I can really contribute in a relationship right now. I...I don't feel like my heart is in this." _

_"I know that I still have a lot to learn Katara, but I can change, really I can! I'm just a bit young and have a lot on my plate right now, but- "_

_"No, Aang, it's not you, it's me." There was a pause, and Zuko knew, even from outside the door, she was clenching her jaw like she always does when she feels guilty." It would be the same than if I were with anyone. It's just that...I just need some time to really figure out what I want. And it's not right to string you along just because there might be a slight chance of me ever actually settling down. With anyone."_

_"What do you mean?" _

_"I...I went to one of the rebellion sights the other day, to heal all of the people that had been injured by the rebel attacks. Aang...there are things that I have seen that..."_

_It was a long time before anyone spoke again. _

_"I'm so sorry," she had whispered. Her voice cracked. "I'm so so sorry." _

That was the last time that Zuko had ever heard her cry. It had been a year since then, and whenever he would see her again, which was often, that conversation is what he would associate her with.

Ever since the war had ended, Katara would spend most of her time at the fire lord's mansion, since this is where many of the of the meetings regarding how to console rebels would take place. Since she was such an important figure regarding the nations, she felt that she had to be present for every decision made regarding the world and it's people; at least, that's what she told him. It was weird, because technically, they were living together, just not..._together._ After all, it wasn't like Zuko didn't have the room to spare.

What surprised him was the fact that Katara had decided to stay and continue dedicating her life to maintaining peace, even though she had the chance to live the majority of her life completely normally again. Her brother and Suki had returned to the Southern Water Tribe, occasionally coming to the Fire Nation for important meetings, or to come and visit both Katara and Zuko.

Toph had returned to Ba Sing Se, where she was teaching earth bending to all of the children at the blind orphanage. Everyone assumed that she had patched things up with her parents, but nobody would really ask her, in an effort to not get their bodies crushed by a massive boulder.

Aang on the other hand, was refurbishing the Air Temples, so that it could be habitable for people again, and also to keep the tradition of the air benders and the monks alive. He would obviously visit other nations frequently, but no-one objected to him wanting to revive the Air Temples again after 100 years.

A part of him wanted to believe that Katara had stayed because she wanted she be nearer to him, but he knew that this was not true. She had completely shut out everyone, even her best friends.

They saw each other very often, like at dinner and those many, many meetings. On the contrary, they would practically spend their entire day with each other, but this wouldn't entail of light hearted humor or laughter, like they had had when they were travelling a year and a half ago. Every conversation that they had ever had was stern and cold.

Only a few times had they ever discussed their personal lives, and when they did, it was brief and awkward. Besides, there was really not much personal life to talk about, since even Zuko didn't have a girlfriend anymore; he wasn't stupid. He knew that his affections lied with another someone else, and effectively ended his relationship with Mai in realizing so. He still remembered how painful it was when Katara had to pull that dagger out of his shoulder.

As well as living with the fire lord, Katara had also earned her own status; she was now Lady Katara. Master water bender, the most distinguished healer in the world, and chief in command of the Four Nations Alliance, which is an army formed completely of water, fire, earth and air benders. Though she was technically not as 'qualified' as the fire lord, everyone knew that if anything was going to change regarding the people or rebellions, Zuko was who they would first have to speak to, but Katara was the real obstacle to impress or gain permission from.

What saddened him, was that both of the most distinguished and powerful people in the world, were children, her being 16, and him being 18. That the world had stripped them off their rights to childhood, and shrouded them with the burden of the entire world. Even the avatar was younger than them, and it made him wonder when he started to care how cruel the world was;

He knew it was because of her.

* * *

He saw her at dinner that night, and it had been one of those rare days where he hadn't seen much of her, but missed her all the same. Even at the mere age of 16, she resembled that of a women, and a positively beautiful one at that. Her long braid had been permanently swapped to that of the hair she wore in the last battle, with it long and naturally, softly curly down to her lower back.

She had a slender body that she was forced to maintain due to her water bending and healing, something that should be withered by the amounts of meals she had skipped to go over paper work. Her face was calm and held together, serene and soft. But her eyes completely shook her entire appearance out of balance, since they were abnormally striking and bold, cold even. Like she constantly had her guard up; the electric blue within them scaring off most people. Her perfect brows, he thought, were constantly furrowed, like she was always thinking about something problematic.

And it didn't matter how confident he was, how good he looked, how powerful he felt; when Katara was around, Zuko was just a pathetic teenage boy with feelings that he could never cover up. But he had lived in a confined space with her for over a year now, so he liked to believe that he was able to cope with it.

She approached him since her seat was always next to his and nodded curtly. "Zuko," she said addressed curtly, which was how she welcomed him.

He coughed, choking on his own saliva, like the idiot he is, trying to control his damn heartbeat that had decided to mimic that of someone in cardiac arrest. "Good evening, Lady Katara."

Maybe he didn't have that much control after all.

They both sat in silence, whilst everyone else, being the elders and the staff (that Zuko insisted eating with) talked quietly as they ate. He always felt the need to say something, but he never knew what. But he couldn't wait forever, and he had to say something other than the topic of rebellion if he were to ever have a go at breaking down that wall she had put up.

He treated the situation like a battle strategy; list every possible course of action that could be taken. Okay, so...the weather, her family, the South Pole, the food, her waterbending, her healing, the one year mark of peace ball coming up, asking her to be his date, no, to accompany him-

"I looked over at the situation in Ba Sing Se regarding the rebels," she said curtly, cutting off his train of thought. "Despite trying to negotiate with them, they have started to abduct people on the street, and trying to brainwash them into joining the rebel army, mimicking that of Lake Laogai."

"Erm," he said slowly, trying to think of what to say, but all he could think of is beautiful their children would look, and then started to wonder when he had become such a sap-

After waiting a good 10 seconds, Katara continued. "I think they want to expand their bending range, since right now, fire benders are the only ones protesting to the peace treaties. I know that most would say that we should go straight to the source, find the brain washing unit and shut it down, but I think that we should wait a while to gain more intel; after all, this is what the rebels want. For us to send soldiers for them kill and prove the point that they don't want to be messed with and that they are superior. Even so, I would appreciate it if you kept an eye on Ba Sing Se, like their trade market. I wouldn't be surprised if the rebels were smart enough to take over trading ports and smuggle in weapons from rebels in other nations."

There was a significantly long pause whilst the water bender waited for a reply.

"Yes." He said simply, immediately wanting to pick up his fork and jab it in his face. Note to self: when your brain is about to explode with the thought of how you are going to cope about when you and Katara's imaginary daughter starts dating, do not respond with a one word answer, especially when you have no idea what the conversation was about.

She paused from eating and raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

He blinked, giving up on his life, and his brain. "Yes."

There was another pause, and she stared at him for a long time. "Are you okay?"

He let out a large sigh, letting his hair flop loose from his ridiculous bun. "I'm just a little stressed, that's all. And my chest hurts a bit."

"What, like heartburn?" she asked, her eyes never leaving him as she sipped her water.

"Yeah, heartburn," he lied. "I'm sure it will take care of itself."

She bended the remaining water out of her cup and manipulated it to twirl through her fingers as she thought for a while. He watched her, how she connected with her element, and how beautiful she looked when she wasn't even trying, whilst asking himself as to when he had become so...mushy.

"But even so, you're the fire lord," she spoke finally, bending her water back into the cup. "Your health is primary. And you've been working straight with no check ups for the passed year, and stress can influence a lot of things that could lead to fatality."

"So what do you suggest?" he asked.

She took another bite of her dinner before replying. "I'll do a full body check up on you after dinner." she stated. "I'll come to your bedroom at about half eleven tonight. I'd come earlier, but I wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong idea if they saw us in your room together."

"Yeah, who would want that?" he mumbled to himself, scratching the back of his neck. "I'll see you tonight then."

She nodded curtly, before leaving the room, and bidding everyone goodnight.

Once she left the room he held his head in his clammy hands, trying to remember when he had last felt this exasperated. He could hear his uncle laugh from opposite him, slurping his tea as he did so. "Just when I thought you couldn't be any more smitten for that girl!"

The fire lord groaned, leaving the table with an empty stomach.

* * *

He checked the time;

**22:54**

Zuko groaned into his pillow for possibly the 100th time, tugging on his thick ebony hair. What was wrong with him? He was never like this when he was dating Mai! Never once did he ever fantasize about getting married to her and having little dangerous babies with her.

And out of all the girls to like, why Katara? She unintentionally picked the one person on the entire world that he has the least chance with; forgetting about being with her, what about just being her _friend? _The idea of it made Zuko even laugh, since he wasn't even close to calling her his friend.

He sighed, rolling over on his ridiculously large bed and facing the ceiling. Now he knew how the avatar felt, liking someone that you have absolutely no shot with. It sucked, and he realized now how much he owed the young boy credit. Maybe he would even contact him and ask for help, about how to manage his feelings...but then everyone would know, and there is no way anyone would respect the might firelord if they found out he had a crush.

He shook his head fiercely, his long bangs hitting his eyes. He doesn't feel anything, nothing at all. It's all just hormones, him being eighteen and all. It would all pass eventually and he would be back to the stern, moody Zuko soon enough.

He heard a knock on his door that silenced his thoughts. Shaking his head and smoothing his clothes, he went to the door and opened it. Katara stood there, looking to her side, down the corridor, with her brows furrowed as usual.

"Hey," he whispered. It was almost eleven at night, after all.

"There's a weird noise coming from your Uncle's room," she said quietly, entering his bedroom. She was carrying a large pot of water with some herbs in a bag easily on her hip. She set it down in the middle of the room and began to set it up. "Is he okay?"

Zuko closed the door and looked at the ground, embarrassed. "Yeah, he's fine, he just does a lot of late night yoga with a couple other members of the White Lotus,"

Katara set out a stool, and started to mix the herbs with in the water. "Like a...club?"

Zuko blew the hair out of his eyes. "...Sure. A club."

Katara continued bend the water around the large bowl, mixing in more and more herbs as she did so. The water changed from a clear, to a fresh green colour, practically glowing as she bended it around the bowl.

"Could you please open the curtains for me?" she asked, tucking hair behind her ear. "The more moonlight, the better for me."

"Sure." Zuko said, walking over and pulling the extravagant curtains open, letting in the moonlight. In doing so, he tried to keep his cool, but he could feel some of his firebending going out of control, as his body heated up. He ran his hands through his hair, thinking of what his Uncle taught him about calming down. He faced Katara again, who had taken off her robe, freeing her arms to bend.

"Okay, you can take your clothes off now," she said calmly. "And then come and sit on this stool.

Zuko stomach dropped along with his jaw. "Excuse me?" he cried.

She moved her thick robe away and looked at him. "What?"

"Katara..." he said slowly, feeling his cheeks going red. "I'm not very comfortable stripping in front of you!"

She looked confused as she took off her shoes. "Why? What did you think a full body was, Zuko? You need your clothes off in order for me to check you're at full health."

"But...it's...a little inappropriate, don't you think?" he tried desperately.

Katara stood up, placing her hands on her hips. "Zuko, I'm the most powerful medic in the world. I have many people and seen countless bodies. I mean, jeez, it's not like I'm going near your genitalia or anything! Stop being such a child, this is for the good of your nation."

Zuko went tomato red and dead panned and paused. "Katara, please don't ever talk about my genitalia ever again. _Ever_."

"Then quit being such a baby and get over here!"

"But-"

"Or do you want me to include genitalia check up too?"

Zuko practically ran to the stool in front of Katara and removed his shirt, throwing it somewhere behind him. He hesitated before also removing his pajama trousers and socks, leaving him in only his underwear.

His cheeks were already tinted a rosy colour, but he tried to just suck it up and be a man about it. Katara knelt down in front of him and smiled. It was the first time he had seen her smile in such a long time, it was almost strange. The moonlight illuminated her tanned skin beautifully, making her appear goddess-like in his eyes.

"Funny how the moody firelord becomes a child when he drops his pants," she mocked.

"Hey!" he cried, exasperated by how naked he felt.

"I'm just teasing, Zuko," she said softly. "I'm just going feel around your body for any skin anomalies, cuts or bruises."

Zuko grit his teeth as she started to check his legs. Her hands were cold, and despite her age, they were experienced. Her hands roamed through his calves and knees, pausing occasionally to tap on the bones or checking the muscle strength. She soon moved to his back, pressing in the sensitive areas to make sure everything was okay.

Zuko held his breath at the touch of her skin on his, not knowing how to handle it in the slightest. But before he was just about to explode, she ran her hands down his arms, squeezing his swollen biceps to test the muscle density. She moved in front of him, testing the reflex of his elbows. Despite feeling uncomfortable, Zuko silently cherished her arms around him, since this was the only kind of contact he was ever going to have from her.

She pulled out a small notebook with the water tribe symbol on it, and wrote notes about the condition of his body in detail. It was a full minute before she decided to move to his chest, notifying him before she did so.

"I'm going to test your breathing now," she said, looking straight into his golden eyes.

Zuko was taken aback by the intensity in which her eyes shone, how fierce they were when they looked into his. He gulped, trying to stableyse his heart beat so that he wouldn't look like an idiot while she check it.

"Try to breathe normally, and relax," she said.

"Mm-hm," he said quietly, giving up on the chance of ever being friends with Katara.

She moved closer to him, so close that he could smell her hair under his chin. She smelt fresh with that hint of sweetness, something that he couldn't quite explain. Nevertheless, she moved her hands slowly onto his lower abdomen feeling his muscles. Zuko always made maintaining his body a priority, and so he wasn't worried about it's physical condition that much.

But Katara still took her time, running her fingers slowly across his skin, feeling her way through its texture. He watched her, and didn't care if he would be caught looking at her anymore, since he was so captivated by her. She moved her hands to his chest, and rested them there. She didn't do anything, no poking, prodding or squeezing. She such looked at his chest, her hands covering the space over his heart.

She slowly raised her head, because she could feel his eyes on her, and met his golden ones with her striking blues. It was a long moment before either of them spoke. the moon being the only witness as to really understand what was going on.

This was the problem with Katara; it wasn't that she was too closed off, or that she was so stubborn, or that was such a good healer. It was the fact that whenever Zuko was with her, it felt right. It felt like it was meant to happen, like it was supposed to be like this. And this was coming from a boy that refused to have his destiny written for him.

Without really knowing what he was doing, Zuko raised his strong arms to back, holding her just below the shoulder blades. They were both stunned and silent for a moment, but the inevitable happened, and Katara broke away from him fiercely, a scowl on her face.

She coughed and picked up her book. "Your body seems to be in good condition, but your body temperature is probably the warmest that I've felt since when Sokka ate those strange berries in the jungle. I'm going to bring this down to the fact that you're a fire bender, and so your body temperature is elevated anyway. But your entire body is significantly tense that could cause multiple cramps if not dealt with. This could also be due to poor circulation." she spoke firmly, angrily in fact.

"O-okay," Zuko stuttered.

She bended the water out of the bowl, forming a large green blob hovering in the air. "I'm going to focus mainly on your muscles, so it may feel like ice running through your body.

Before he had a chance to answer, she engulfed his entire body in the light green water, leaving his head free to breathe. She moved and sat cross legged in front of him, closing her eyes, and holding her hands in some sort of meditation form that he had never seen before.

Soon enough, the water glowed bright bright green, so bright that it almost blinded him. He was taken aback, since he had never seen this kind of healing method before. And even though he could tell that Katara was mad at both of them, he stared at her anyway, hating himself.

What the hell was he thinking? Holding her like that, as if she was anything more than an ally? He's stupid, that's what. He's just stupid and doesn't know how to control himself, but he got the feeling that...whatever he was feeling, she felt it too.

Suddenly, he felt, what he thought, was a below freezing temperature of water surge through his entire body, penetrating his muscles, clenching and compressing them, almost freezing them. It was such a sharp, sudden feeling that he hissed loudly, and bit his tongue in an effort to silence himself to save whatever dignity and pride he had left.

It was a long long while before Katara opened her eyes, and swiftly bended the water off of his body. He immediately felt rejuvenated and refreshed, almost like he was handed a new body altogether. He felt full of energy and power, and hoped that the slight confidence boost was not short term.

"Wow, Katara," he breathed, getting up off his stool, stretching his arms. "I feel amazing. What did you do?"

"It's a new form of healing I've developed," she said coldly, packing her things away. "It's still in the making, but it's good enough to re-power the body."

"So...what do you intend for it to do?" he asked keenly.

She looked at him for a long second, and decided that if anyone were to know of her bending developments, it should be the firelord. "I developed to eventually, temporarily strip someone of their bending use severe chi blocking, and harnessing that power to make your own bending stronger."

Zuko stared at her, amazed. "But...taking someone bending away..."

"It's only temporary," she said quickly. "I would never take away anyone's bending permanently."

"But how come I feel so good now? Why don't I feel drained?" he asked.

"That's the problem," she said, hauling her huge bowl onto her hip. "Near the end, the target feels energized and revived, making them more powerful. This is just before you are completely drained of your bending. But if you are stopped halfway through, then your target will be even more powerful."

Zuko looked at her for a long moment. "Katara...that's amazing. And you're so young; this is completely revolutionary to the art of bending."

She shrugged her shoulders and turned. "Just don't tell anyone yet, I'm still working on the bugs."

"Sure," he said, rushing in front of her to open the door for her. "Thank you, though. For all this."

She nodded, and began to walk out of his room. She hesitated for a second, but turned to him in the middle of his doorway, carving out his soul again with those intense blue eyes of hers, piercing through any doubt he had about not ever getting over her.

"I'm..." she hesitated, clenching her jaw. "I'm sorry about before. It won't happen again. It can't."

Zuko raised his eyebrows, surprised. "Y-yeah. Me too."

She gave a final nod before leaving, and he closed the door softly before her. Zuko let out a huge sigh that he didn't know he had been holding, and leaned against the door frame, sinking down onto the floor, wondering what the hell he was going to do.

* * *

Hope you liked that, I was going to keep this as a One-Shot, but I'm going to extend it a bit; say, 5 or 6 chapters? Would you actually care if I wrote more? :P Let me know with a review, they are my guilty pleasure!

Have a lovely day my lovelies!

- Yin

Well...chapter one complete! Woot woot!


	2. Chapter 2

Why hello there! :) Got some positive feedback for the last chappy, so why not continue! Updates may be very...shall I say, unconsistant? I may update 2 days later, or two weeks later, but if I do end up neglecting this story, nag me enough to finish it! :)

Hmm, let me tell you an interesting fact about my day to keep the updates more interesting...

Ooh, me and my Mum were watching this amazing movie once, with lots of action and stuff ('cause we both love it), and the main character got shot and my Mum was like, "*GASP*!". Yesterday, I gave her my report...she made the exact same noise?

My asian homies will get this...she took one look at my report and she was like, "A B? What is this? What do you do in your classes? Shit on your exercise book?"...Yeah. My life is kinda like, 'double-you, tee, eff'. Other than the food, it kinda sucks to be asian.

Anyways, have a lovely day, and a lovely time reading!

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 2 **

In his whole life, despite everything he has had to deal with, Zuko has never been one to lie that much. The biggest lie he ever told, was fooling his sister Azula when she was five, that there was a lemur heard in the backyard so that he could take back the gooseberries she had stolen from him in the first place.

Zuko wasn't much of a liar then, and he wasn't any different now; and because of this, he won't lie when he says that this past month after Katara came into his room that night to check him, it has been as awkward as hell. Whenever either of them talked, which would be extremely frequent, she would either not look at him in the eye, or be angry at him for what had happened.

Zuko knew from then on, that it didn't matter what nation they're from, whether they could bend or not, or even if they were human; women were crazy. He understood why she would feel awkward, but angry? What was she angry about? He slowly started to accept that there were many things that he would never know about Katara, her emotions being a large chunk of that, but it didn't make it any easier.

He shook his head violently and tried to focus on his paperwork for once. Focusing on the words that the document contained in front of him, it took him less than a second to confirm that it was another letter from Ba Sing Se, asking for help to try and track down the rebels and 'take care' of them.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, staring at the document. This much have been around the third letter the earth king would have sent, asking for Zuko to send Katara and along with a few members of the Nations Alliance over to tackle the rebels.

But how could he? Being one of the symbols of peace, how could he just set out to kill anyone who didn't agree with said peace? The fire nation would just appear evil all over again, and make the rest of the people in other nations feel like it was propaganda.

It was completely contradictory to the whole subject of why there are rebellions in the first place. But after sending multiple replies to the earth king, it was obvious that the concern for his people overshadowed the big picture.

He groaned mentally, (for his secretary was in earshot), because this meant that he would have to take it up with Katara, and that meant have to talk to her, and that meant having be in that same awkward situation all over again. And not to mention how she would take it; she could scream in face in front of everyone for all he knows, since she was the only one who had the courage to do so.

But strangely, he was thankful for that; courage was the one thing in Katara that had never changed. She had more courage that anyone he could think of; stepping up to fill the void and duties her deceased mother had left behind, leaving her home, her life behind, to help the Avatar train, dedicating her life to the world without ever meaning to like he or the Aang did...and the list never ended.

And not to mention, the most courageous thing of all; befriending and accepting into your surrogate family, the face of the fire nation.

His face.

He slowly raised his hand touched the charred scar on his face, covering all of his left eye. This was another reason as to how he knew him and Katara would never be together; why would a beautiful, flawless girl, want to be with a boy so...human.

But like Katara, Zuko pushed aside how he really felt, and continued to deal with the world's problems instead of his own.

* * *

If anyone asked Zuko what his favorite time of the day was, his answer would always be lunch.

It was for this reason that the mighty firelord Zuko practically bombarded down the corridors to the dining hall. When he arrived, knowing his luck, a certain water bending master was already at her seat, obvious showing her dedication to lunch out matched Zuko's.

He slowed to halt, taking in the situation. And just like that night a month ago, he smoothed down his robes, took a deep breathe and entered with as much dignity he had. He approached his seat next to Katara's, and greeted like he always did.

"Good afternoon, Lady Katara," he said formally.

Katara stood from her seat and bowed, playing her part of the charade. "Zuko."

They ate in silence, and suddenly the Zuko's appetite withered away to two dumplings and some water. He hated what she had deduced him to, and figured that the best way to get over these feelings was to pretend they didn't exist.

"I got another letter from Ba Sing Se regarding the rebels," he said. "They are so worried about their people that seemed to have forgotten what the peace treaty was there for in the first place. I think that you should talk to them and get them to look at the bigger picture."

On the outside, Zuko remained calm and serene, but on the inside, he was boiling over with anxiousness and uncertainty. He had no idea what to expect from her, since her previous reactions showed no correlation whatsoever.

Katara waited a long moment before answering, not knowing that every second was agonizing for the firelord.

"Okay," she said. He could hear her words through clenched teeth. "I'll send a letter today."

That was it?

"Th-thank you," Zuko stuttered, stunned. Yes; no correlation.

Suddenly, everyone's glasses of water on the large table began to bubble, spilling over onto their food and the table cloth. Everyone groaned at the spilled water, but once they saw that the same exact thing was happening to everyone else, they panicked and murmured to each other.

Zuko narrowed his eyes, wondering why such a strange thing was happening to the water so suddenly. But then Katara came into his vision clearly. Her jaw fiercly clenched, her teeth grinding. Her eyes had paled and were scarily empty. She was clutching into the sharp side of her knife so strongly that he could see the blood trickle onto the table from her palm.

He grabbed her hand and threw the knife away. "KATARA!" he exclaimed. "LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

Katara jumped at the sudden loudness of his voice, since he had never raised his voice at her before. She looked around the table and furrowed her eyebrows, ashamed, bowing her head almost.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly in the now silent room. "It won't happen again."

She lifted her arms to bend the water out of the table cloth, but Zuko grabbed her forearm, fuming. She had never seen him like this before; his deep golden eyes ablaze with a fire she didn't think existed, his brows compressed with concern.

"I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT THE STUPID TABLE!" He continued to scream. "LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO YOUR HAND!"

His words echoed through the hall, and she was taken aback by his language and emotion; his deep golden eyes ablaze with a fire she didn't even know existed. His eyebrows were compressed with concern, and his grip on her arm was much too tight for her liking. He had never spoken this way to her before, let alone acted so strongly.

He was completely different to the formal, aloof Zuko. The Zuko she didn't even think looked twice at her.

"It's okay," she said quietly, eventually. "I'll ju-"

She suddenly realized that the entire room had stopped in their tracks to stare at them both. The room was so silent, you could hear a pin drop, and even the waiters and chefs had peeked their heads round the door to stare at the two.

Zuko grunted loudly, small embers emerging from his nose, just like what always happens when he's mad. He quickly jumped out of his seat, so quickly it took time for Katara's now slow mind to register. He grabbed hold of her good hand and dragged her out of her seat and out of the dining room, leaving everyone to watch them as they went.

Katara was completely taken aback, her body refusing to cooperate, thus, resulting in her being dragged messily behind a fuming Zuko who bombarded down the cooridor similarly like when came to the dining hall. He pulled her into his room and slammed the door behind him, not saying a word as he lead her to his en suite.

He sat her on the pristine, white toilet, and filled the basin with water. He then rummaged messily through the cupboards above the mirror, turning his back to her, not saying a single word.

Katara's eyebrows furrowed, and she told herself it was because of the way he treated, but really it was because it angered her that he cared so much. She didn't ask for any of this; all she asked for was a room to stay in and an ally to trust regarding the world and its people.

Not a friend.

Zuko finally emerged with a needle and disolvable thread and went over to the sink and turned off the tap just before it was about to gush over onto the floor.

"Heal your hand." He grunted.

Walking over to the closed door and leaning back on it, Zuko concentrated on threading the needle, trying his hardest to do it as quickly as possible, because he knew that Katara now healed at a much faster rate than she did two years ago.

He was unaware of the master water bender, glaring at him on his toilet. How dare he speak to her like this? Does he think that just because he is firelord, he can boss her around and treat her however he wants?

"Don't you dare tell me what to do!" she cried, the loudest she had spoken in over a year. "You are not superior to me! I'm not just someone who you can order around whenever you want!"

Zuko's nostrils flared, sparking embers again as he breathed. "Well if you weren't stupid enough to hold onto the wrong end of a knife, then I wouldn't have to boss you around, now would I?" he spat.

"STUPID?" She seethed. "You're calling _me_ stupid?"

She was raging, and felt so alien to this feeling she had, that she had no chance of controlling it whatsoever. She hadn't even realized that she had gotten up from the toilet, and the water from the basin was now all over the floor, thanks to her emotions.

"Well I'm not the one making the water orange with my blood!" Zuko cried, fuming.

Katara looked at the floor, and saw the rust colour run over the tiles, after having noticed that it had seeped onto her clothing. She then looked at her hand, her entire palm and several fingers coloured a dark dark crimson, the gouge gaping at her.

She grunted loudly, just as Zuko did when he was mad, because that idiot was actually right. She angrily whipped the water from the floor of the entire room and swiftly bended it to cover her hand, and it's bright blue light filling the tense silence.

It only took a few seconds before Zuko knew she was finishing up. "Here," he grunted, gesturing to the threaded needle. "Stitch yourself up."

Katara scowled, using the now red water to snatch the needle from him, scratching his hand as she did so.

"Ow!" Zuko cried dramatically. "You scratched me!"

"I don't even need it," she spat, completely ignoring him. "My healing can restore a minor wounds like this to full health within seconds now. How's that for stupid?"

"Not that great, 'cause now you've scratched my hand too," he groaned. "Now we have the same cuts on the same hand."

Katara gritted her teeth, but shook it off. "Come here, then." she ordered.

Using the now red red water she had, she bended them into two, and engulfed both of Zuko's feet, pulled him to her so that they were less than a centermetre apart. Zuko gasped slightly, from the speed in which he moved so close to her. She was of a petite stature, he guessed only around 5"3, which brought her head to rest just under his chin, since he was a well built and hovered at 6"1.

He could smell her hair, just like he had before, and pushed away every urge he had to hold her, and tell her that the only reason he got so mad was because when she got hurt, he was always so ashamed at how he could never do anything about it.

"Give me your hand." she commanded, coldly.

He finally did as he was told, and raised his hand hesitantly to her side, since he would hit her in the stomach if he raised it forward. She took his hand, covered in red water and laid it over his, and the red water binded their hands together, so they were one. Before Zuko could really appreciate the moment, Katara was already done, and pushed his chest away with one, the other still bending the water.

"Don't ever think that I am inferior to you, Zuko." she said coldly. "I worked and worked to get to where I am now, and you have no right to take that away from me."

"I'm not!" he cried frustratedly. "But you had blood all over you, it wasn't like I was just going to sit and do nothing!" he pasued. "And...what the hell happened back there anyways? And with the water in the basin?" he gestured to the floor.

Katara looked away, guilty and ashamed. "Sometimes when I loose control of my emotions, the water around me, or anything containing a lot of water, tend to change to be manipulated by my emotions involuntarily,"

She paused, wondering if she could trust him, but her mouth spoke before her brain had come to a conclusion.

"It happened a lot when my mother died," she said quietly. "I would always wreck the entire village, because it was made of snow, everytime I thought about her. And because back then I could barely waterbend, and so it would take days to re-build everything again."

"Katara..." Zuko said slowly, stunned. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes shot him icy fire. "I don't want your pity." she said firmly. "All I'm saying, is that I'm not a weak little girl anymore. I'm not just some child that needs to be defended or protected; I can take care of myself. Hell! Ever since my Mother left me, I've had to take care of everyone!"

She was angry and tired, and this was portrayed in how she spoke to him; after such a long time, Katara always though that one day, things would be different. But six years later, mastering waterbending, training the Avatar, saving the world, becoming one of the most important figures in history, she was still afraid. She was still tired and weak.

"Katara, you are not weak for not knowing how to use your element," Zuko reasoned. "You were the only waterbender in your village; hell, you probably didn't even know that other waterbenders existed, let alone be able to master the element."

"That's no excuse!" she snapped. "I should've taken control, and focused on trying to get better. But I was too worried about doing laundry, the washing, cleaning the house, looking after the small children, getting Sokka out of trouble, learning how to cook..."

She shook her head at the memories. "I should've-"

"Katara, you were ten years old!" Zuko exclaimed. "The same age I was when I lost my mother. It's ridiculous to expect yourself to do everything, to be perfect! And at ten...all I remember was crying in my room for months; I would've never had the strength to step up for my family like that!"

"But it's different for you, Zuko," she said. "You grew up never having to worry about anything. Even though your mother is gone, even though it was never your father, you still had someone to take care of you. If I didn't do anything, then who the hell would?"

After a few seconds of silence, the two realized where they were, what had just happened. The last time that either of them had conversed about their lives was...well, they knew that it was well before the war was over. Well before their real troubles started.

"I better go," she said quickly, leaving the room. She swiftly bended the water down the basin and into the drain.

"I'm sorry that I shouted at you," Zuko said sincerely. "It wasn't my place, I know...but I just loose control sometimes."

"The both of us," she said, staring right at him with her piercing eyes. "I'm sorry, too. And thank you...for...you know...this." She gestured to the now empty basin.

"It's nothing," he said, quite literally.

She nodded and left, hesitating in the door frame, just as she had done a month ago. She turned halfway back toward him, her eyes striving to contain her mutual understanding.

"I'm sorry about your mother, Zuko," she said quietly. So quietly, he could barely hear. "I know how..._awful_ it is.I would never wish it on anyone. Not even when I hated you."

Zuko paused, taking it in. "So...you don't hate me anymore?"

Katara smiled at him, and Zuko's heart flipped in chest, causing him to choke on his saliva. It had been the longest time since he had seen her smile like that, and he never really noticed how it made him feel inside, how it made him feel about her.

"Well, I didn't say that, did I?" she said softly, still smiling at him, patting his shoulder. "Good afternoon, firelord Zuko."

She left the room without another word, leaving Zuko's mind blank, stripping him of any options to think about, other than her.

* * *

Zuko sighed, after having finished reading another letter from Ba Sing Se's earth king. He decided to send all of the documents from Ba Sing Se to Katara, since she would need it if she was going to be replying personally to them today. But thankfully, he didn't have to do that himself, and politely asked his secretary.

Sifting through the mess on his desk, he wondered if he would ever finish this paperwork on time, or whether he would have to spend another night at the office; nothing was worse than having to explain to the Northern Water Tribe Leader why there was drool on their invitation to the Peace of Nations ball because he had used it as a pillow.

He suddenly sat up, alert. The ball was in less than three months, and he hadn't even gone over the guest list; not to mention finding a room for the Avatar, Toph and Katara's family to stay. Or how he's going to fit Appa or Momo anywhere.

He buried his head in his hands, wondering when it was that he had last gotten a good nights sleep; if he's not thinking about Katara, he's thinking about work. And if he's not thinking about work, he's thinking about how the Avatar, Katara's ex-boyfriend, is going to be right down the hall from his bedroom.

Zuko looked at the clock:

**01:32**

Having seen the time, he gave up, and agreed that this was it for the day. After taking off his extravegant robe and undoing his hair, leaving him a sleevless top and some plain trousers, Zuko decided that he might practice some late night firebending, since it had been a while since he had last trained.

But having gone outside to the sparring arena next to the barn, he heard the moans of a sheep, screaming loudly accross the field. Walking briskly closer to the massive barn, he saw the door open, and light peeking through the gaps.

He walked straight in, wondering who was tending to animals at this time of night, and was surprised to see Katara. She was kneeling on the floor, with a huge pan of water beside her, and a sheep in front of her, laying on the ground, moaning.

Katara's ears picked up his non-existant footsteps, and her head whipped over to him.

"Oh good, it's you, Zuko," she said hurriedly. "Get over here."

He didn't say anything, and went to her side, kneeling beside her. "What's wrong with her?" he asked, stroking the sheep's head. "Is she sick?"

Katara snorted. "No, you idiot, she's giving birth!"

"Oooh." Zuko said slowly. "But why are you here tending to her at this time of night?"

Katara's eyebrows furrowed as the sheep moaned louder. She bended some water up quickly out of the pan, spinning it in a rapid circle in the sheep's lower abdomen, relieving her of some of the pain that was due to contractions in her uterus.

"I heard her moaning when I came to train," she said. "She's been in labour for about half an hour now."

"So...why do you want me here?" he asked, clueless.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Comfort her while I guide out the lamb."

Zuko scratched his head uncertainly. "Are you sure? I'm not known for comforting people."

"Well then you're in luck; she's not a person." she said.

The sheep bleated louder, louder than it had before. Katara instantly drew more water from the pan, and moved herself to the back of the sheep, covering it's lower half in water, seeping it into the sheep's muscles.

"Don't just sit there, Zuko!" she exclaimed. "Comfort her!"

"But...how?" he asked innocently.

"JUST DO IT!" she snapped, irritated. "She's about to start crowning! This is the most painful part of her life, so you better find a way to make it easier for her to deal with. Maybe this will actually teach you something about women in the process; like a live and learn experiance."

Zuko bit his lip, but attempted anyway. He leaned down so that his head was leveled with the sheep, and gently stroked her face soothingly. He spoke to her gently, even more gently than a whisper, continuing to stroke her head affectionately.

"It's okay, girl," he said. "Soon you'll have a baby that loves you as much as I loved my mother."

Katara was so entranced by the picture, that she almost forgot what she was doing. She had known Zuko for what she felt was a long time, but she had never seen such a gentle and compassionate side to him before. She had to admit, she was impressed because it was working; the sheep's breathing had slowed down, and she became much calmer, which is key to delivering.

The sheep bleeted loudly.

"Zuko, through me that rag!" she said quickly, the water glowing even brighter.

Zuko tossed it with one hand, and Katara caught it with one hand; if anyone saw them together at that moment, they would've looked like a well oiled machine; but in reality, there were many faults in both of them.

The sheep cried out loudly, and Katara guided out the lamb into the cloth, using the water to surrounding it, cleaning it of blood and clearing it's airways so that it was able to bleet for its mother.

She then extracted the water from the lamb and evaporated it instantly into the air, and moved next to Zuko where they both held the lamb in the hands. It squirmed and cried like all newborns did, and they both watched it, stunned.

And for some reason that was beyond them both, they looked up at each other, smiling. It was something that neither of them were familiar, this feeling they had. Despite previous partners, they had never felt this before. This...energy.

But Katara snapped back to reality, and broke their eye contact just as quickly as it had started. Her eyes hardend again, and she gave the lamb to its mother so that they could bond and it could feed on her, smiling at the instant connection between the two.

Zuko watched, spellbound, because he had just seen through a crack in Katara's wall.

* * *

Well, hoped you liked this chapter :) A fat kid is to food, as I am to reviews! But...I don't eat...reviews...:\

Have crack-a-lackin' day/night! (Btw, I've never said that before in my LIFE.)

- Yin

P.S. excuse the many many many mistakes...


	3. Chapter 3

Hey my beautifuls! How are you this fine day! Another chappy for you all...spitting them out so quick, scared this story will finish quickly :P

So, interesting moment of the day...

Learnt an important lesson today! After first period, which was P.E., and so I looked like a cave woman, and just arrived at my next class. And this girl sitting next to me said, "Oh my God! I love your hair so much! I'm so jealous, I want it so badly!".

Though I was born in England, my parents are from Sri Lanka (a little island next to India). I have had jet black, long, loose curley hair all my life, and have always HATED it. I always wanted to have dead straight hair like all my friends, but I would have to straighten it everyday and even then would never be able to get the same result.

So naturally, I was like, "WTF? Your hair is amazing, why would you want such ugly hair like mine?". And this girl has the most amazing natural, deep orange hair. It's _beautiful_, like seriously; it was long and perfectly straight all the time. But she had recently dyed it black, because she hated her own hair.

It made me think about how everyone's image of 'perfect' is different; for me, perfect was to have dead straight hair all the time, and I thought that that's what everyone else thought too. But to this girl who sat next to me, she obviously thought the complete opposite. Made me realize how import it is to be different, and more importantly, to be yourself...

Jeez, sounds like a lecture or something...

Anywho, hope you enjoy this chapter! Tell me what you think with a review!

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Zuko slouched in his chair, experiencing one of those moment where he wondered why he had ever agreed to take up the job or being the Fire Lord. Sitting here at a desk all day, reading paperwork. All he could think of right now was, strangely enough, that lamb that he and Katara delivered a couple of days ago.

They had both decided to name the lamb (who was a girl), Maki. It was a cute name, fit for a cute animal, and since her mother's name was Mika, they thought that the two names fit each other well. Zuko decided then that he would skip lunch and visit the lamb to see how her and her mother were doing.

He then wondered when he had become such a mushy, sappy, lamb loving romantic. He was never like this before in his life; he was always bitter and angry all the time, not ever knowing where to put his emotions. But now that he had thought about it, he still didn't know where to put them; especially now, because of-

"ZUKO!" Katara burst in at that minute. "Why didn't you tell me that he came to the Fire Nation to visit me?"

Zuko tilted his head in confusion. "What are you talking about? Who came to see you? I never authorized-"

"Of course you didn't, Mr Fire Lord man! Who needs to authorize some family lovin'?", came a voice from behind Katara.

"Oh, no..." Zuko groaned loudly.

At that moment, Sokka burst in the room and ran up behind Katara, and jumped on her back, forcing his huge weight onto her petite body. Katara scowled and doubled over to the immense weight suddenly compressing her back, causing her to stumbled about the room, where she was just about to fall over, but then summoned some water from the air to catch their fall.

"What are doing, Sokka?" She cried at her brother, using the water to lift herself upright, and leave him to fall face first into the floor. "This isn't some playground! You can't just jump on people, it's hazardous! Everyone is working, so you have to-"

"Aww, listen to my sister boss me about!" he cried loudly, but affectionately, hugging her forcefully, resulting in Katara's face being slammed into Sokka's chest due to the height difference, blocking off her air supply. "You haven't changed a bit!"

Sokka looked a little taller than when Zuko had last saw him, but had obviously not changed in the slightest. He still wore his traditional Water Tribe attire, but now had a long sash sewn onto the chest of his shirt, to symbolize his importance to the Avatar and the other nations.

Whipping some more water out of the air instantly with her arms, Katara thrashed her brother's legs to the left, and his body to the right, causing him to fly in a circular motion before plummeting to the ground with a loud thud.

"How's that for, 'not changing a bit'?" Katara cried.

Sokka got up slowly and groaned, rubbing his now sore buttocks. "Waterbending is cheating!" he yelled at her.

"Well then what about that time when I was 8 and you 'accidently' hit me with your boomerang because I beat you when we wrestled!"

"It just slipped out of my hand!"

"And what, and flew back to you?"

The two continued to scream at each other, like children fighting over sweets. Zuko just sat at his desk shaking his head; but in reality, he was more than glad. Bringing Sokka into the mix would hopefully force Katara back to her old self, and help him his chances of befriending her again increase.

But Zuko's now petrified secretary poked her head round the wall, staring at the arguing duo. "E-er Sir, I know that it is late to inform you, but Master Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe wishes to enter."

Zuko sighed with a smile on his face as he watched Katara and Sokka fight, happy with the thought of not getting any work done today. "Thank you, Anya."

* * *

It was just after lunchtime, and Katara had finally got Sokka out of her hair so that she could do some work. But this wasn't too great for Zuko, since it meant that Sokka had now decided to disturb him instead, making sure that now one document would be read that afternoon.

"Ooh, what does this do?" Sokka asked not so innocently. He stared at Zuko's dual swords on the wall. "Can I see it?"

"You're looking at it right now," Zuko grunted, trying to understand what he was reading in front of him.

"No, Zuko, I just want to feel it!"

"Well, you can't! It's an antique!"

"You used those swords a couple of years ago! How is that an antique?"

"It doesn't matter! Just don't touch them!"

There was a pause.

"So you lied; it's not an antique, is it?"

Zuko groaned, pulling his hair. "No, I guess not."

"So can I see it?"

"NO!" Zuko screamed, clutching onto the papers in front of him in anger. He immediately regretted it, because he had managed to burn the edges of the documents, making some of the words completely illegible. "Why don't you go and talk to your sister? I'm sure you have a lot of catching up to do."

Sokka shrugged his shoulders, his brows furrowing like Katara's. "I don't know...she's not the same anymore."

Zuko looked up at the Water Tribe warrior earnestly. "Do you...do you know why she's changed so much? You know, being her brother and all."

Sokka sat down on the chair opposite Zuko's desk lazily, putting his feet up, staring into space. "It's not like it's just her, Zuko," he said quietly. "We've all changed."

Zuko set down his document. "What do you mean?"

Sokka's eyes misted as he thought, exactly like Katara. "Think about it, we all have different ways of dealing with what has happened. I went back home with Suki and tried to forget, Toph tries to make up for her mistakes by teaching earth bending to blind children, Aang tries to restore his race by rebuilding their temples, you try to make up for your father by taking his place,"

The two were quiet for while, as they thought about the same girl. "And Katara, being her and taking care of everyone, is trying to take care of the world by herself; by devoting her entire life to it, to make sure that no one ever endures what we all have ever again."

Sokka looked directly into Zuko's golden eyes. "At any means necessary."

Zuko leaned back in his chair, quiet with thought. "I swear that ever since I've known her, even when I was her enemy, she would always think of everyone but herself."

Sokka chuckled lightly, but not out of happiness. "Yeah, she has always been like that; you know, when I was about seven, and her being five, our family ran out of food once, and had hardly anything to eat. We were using up the last of our rice and all of it together barely served one person,"

"I had already finished mine and was still hungry, and Katara must have heard my stomach grumble or something, because she just stared at me with those massive eyes. She then poured the remainder of her rice into my bowl, and told me to have it since it was too much for her anyway."

Zuko looked at Sokka while he spoke, knowing that he remembered that moment as clear as yesterday.

"Even when we were that young, Katara would always take care of me. I don't know if Toph told you this, but I can't even remember what my mother looks like anymore; all I can remember is Katara yelling at me for doing something stupid, or getting into trouble."

"Do you...do you think she'll ever be the same again?" Zuko asked quietly.

Sokka's eyes dropped to the ground, and then were fiercely looking at Zuko. "I don't think any of us will, Zuko."

* * *

Zuko tried to find an excuse to just throw his documents out the window, but failed miserably. That was probably the most annoying thing about being the Fire Lord; wanting something that you have every right now have, in his case, a day off, but not expected to use.

Forcing his tired eyes open, trying not to look at the clock, knowing that it was well past 2:00am, he was thankful at least that Sokka wasn't here to distract him further. His surprise visit only lasted a few hours, which was evidently better for everyone.

But Sokka couldn't leave until Katara had done a full medical check up on him, packed him extra food for his journey, sent some things back for Suki and their Grandmother, as well as making Sokka swear to clean regularly, with soap, look after Suki and treat her like a queen, make sure their Grandmother got her daily hour of exercise, and give a small vile of ointment for a small boy in their tribe that was born with a skin condition.

Zuko wondered how her mind operated, having to think of all of those people, all of those things minor things about her tribe and family that that she should of forgotten. Did she even remember that she herself existed? That she could take a day off either?

And before Zuko had a chance to think of anything else, he realized that him and Katara weren't so different after all.

Sliding back in his chair and marching out of his room and down the corridor to Katara's office took more courage than he would've thought. He knew that the she would be up at this time too, since they were the only ones who were crazy enough to.

Knocking on her door, Zuko decided to enter before she had even said he could, and pitied himself at how he thought that this was a rather bold act. Opening the door slowly, he saw her at her desk, her hair in an adorable disheveled mess. He wondered if she was secretly a fire bender, because he swore that he could see smoke arising from her pen as she wrote at a lightening speed.

She then jerked her head up at the sense of someone standing before her, and then winced as the sound of a crack coming from her neck echoed through the silent room. But she had already bended water out of the air and onto the back of her neck, the eery glow being the only form of conversation so far.

"What's wrong, Zuko?" she asked in pain, as relieved the pressure on her neck.

"Let's go to Ba Sing Se," Zuko said abruptly, not caring about how he sounded to her anymore. "We should go and see the Earth King himself and explain why we can't just kill off the rebels. I don't think that it's a subject that we can just send letters about; I mean, who knows, we might even come up with an idea about how to deal with them too."

Katara blinked, wide eyed at the sudden proposal. She leaned back in her chair and took in the information, all the while her eyes never leaving Zuko. It was true that if they tried to settle the affair by mail, it would just arise again sooner or later; but travelling to Ba Sing Se was the real problem for her.

"I don't know, Zuko," she said honestly. "I mean, I haven't been to Ba Sing Se in a long time. And, you know, there's all this work and..."

"I think that we deserve a break, don't you?" Zuko asked, sitting in the chair opposite her, undoing his hair to let it fall freely over his face. "We've been working non-stop for a full year. Taking a few days off for a vacation isn't too bad."

Katara hesitated, scratching her head. "I don't know..."

"And we might even be able to see Toph," Zuko pointed out. "We haven't even heard from her in months now."

Katara struggled to comply, but she knew that Zuko was right.

"Come on, Katara," Zuko said softly. "It's an order, from the Fire Lord himself."

Katara grinned lazily, sighing as she shook her head. "Fine," she said. "We'll go to Ba Sing Se."

"Good," Zuko said, smiling. "We'll leave a little after the ball."

Katara's eyes widened, and she groaned as she brought her hand to her forehead. "The ball!" she cried. "I completely forgot! When is it anyway?"

"In about a couple of months," Zuko said, taking off his large robe, exposing his arms to some air. "I know, I'm dreading it too."

"I swear it's just the same thing in these documents, but just in real life," she sighed. "'How are you, Lady Katara? Are the Four Nations army assembling well? Would you be able to teach my daughter some waterbending?'"

"That's nothing," Zuko laughed. "At least you don't get, 'Oh, Fire Lord Zuko, have you thought about my request regarding the pelican trade market?"

Katara scoffed. "Pelican trade market? What the hell is that?"

Zuko sighed, running his hands through his hair. "One of the richer civilians heard about the international trade market affairs, and how it was tiring its workers, and so he proposed that we should replace the ships with an heard of pelicans to carry the goods from nation to nation."

Katara laughed loudly, for the first time in such a long time. "They actually requested that? You must be joking!"

Zuko chuckled. "Trust me, I wish I was!"

Katara laughed again, and Zuko's eyes gleamed as he watched her. "I'm having trouble believing you!"

"I still have the letter in my office if you want to see," he said honestly. "I read it when I'm having a bad day, so at least I can work with a smile on my face."

"I'm going to need a copy of that." Katara said as she chuckled, attempting to tame her wild curly hair.

The two were quiet for a while, but it was a comfortable silence, which was new to them; this was the first conversation they ever had talking about work as chore, rather than a duty. Both of them knew that this was a rare moment, but only one of them intended on trying to prolong it.

"Have you seen Maki yet?" Zuko asked suddenly.

Katara looked guiltily at her table. "No; I was going to see her this lunch until Sokka came in and bombarded my day."

"Me too," Zuko said, scratching his hair. "Why don't we go see her now?"

Katara raised an eyebrow, glancing at the clock behind him. "It's 2:30am! Do you think she'd be awake?"

"It's worth a shot," Zuko said, standing up. "I just want to know if her and her mother are doing well."

Katara hesitated for a second, and ignored her gut, which told her to carry on working. "Sure, why not? I should really check her over anyways."

"I think I'm gonna go change first though," Zuko said, yawing as he stretched. "This Fire Lord outfit is way too stiff."

"Me too," said Katara. "I'll meet you in the hallway in 10 minutes."

* * *

Since it was a rather warm night, Zuko chose to wear a vest top and some shorts. It felt weird to be wearing normal clothes for once, since almost all of his day is spent wearing extravagant robes and gowns to suit his status; not to mention an uptight bun to match.

He felt so much more free and relaxed, something that he really took for granted back when he was younger, and could do whatever he wanted. Closing his bedroom door softly behind him, Zuko crept into the hallway, and eventually stopped at Katara's room.

It didn't take long for her to emerge with a vest top, and short shorts, just like him. Thankfully, they weren't wearing the same colours. Her hair was swept up into a simple pony tail, with a few strays left behind to frame her face. She looked to fresh and comfortable, and Zuko realized, right then, how naturally beautiful she really is.

"This is so weird for me," Katara whispered as they walked quietly out of the mansion. "I've never worn shorts before! This Fire Nation weather is just unbearable."

"Yeah, right!" Zuko exclaimed quietly. "I almost froze to death when we all went to the Water Tribes just after the war!"

"I can't wait to see you in Ba Sing Se, though," she scoffed. "It's said to snow out there soon."

"Snow?" Zuko asked, disappointed. "But I thought it would be nice and sunny!"

"No, the weather is completely different at this time of year," she said. "I can't wait to see snow again; there's nothing like going out at night when the land is covered in snow under the moonlight, and you know that the whole world is asleep."

"No way," Zuko said defiantly. "The best is the sunrise; when the world is just begining to wake up, knowing that you have a whole new day ahead of you."

"You're talking crap, oh mighty Fire Lord!" Katara exclaimed, punching Zuko lightly on the arm.

Zuko smiled at how comfortable she was around him now; it was such a big improvement, compared to a few weeks ago. He wanted to think that this would only progress as the would sun rise, but he knew it wouldn't. With Katara, every day was one step forward, and two steps back.

Once they arrived at the barn, they could already hear the squealing of Maki, as she pestered her sleeping mother to play with her. Much like Katara, Maki was much more vibrant and energetic at night.

The two entered the barn, and at first, Maki hid behind her mother, afraid of what she thought were strangers. But then as they approached her hesitantly, she picked up that familiar smell and ran to the two a little unsteadily, bleating happily.

Zuko knelt down onto the hay so that he could stroke her, and she happily accepted the attention she was receiving from him. She was small, and resembled her mother in ways, though she lacked that mature attitude that she would only learn through age. In many ways, she reminded Zuko of himself.

He looked over and saw Katara gently stroking Mika, though she was still half asleep. She checked her limbs first, and then moved on to her body to make sure that she was healing well after delivery. Mika didn't seem to mind Katara's faint prodding, and much like her daughter, enjoyed the attention.

"Well, she's a bit more tired than usual," Katara summarized, getting up onto a kneel. "But I think it's mostly because of Maki feeding so frequently since she's so young; not to mention she's a bit of a handful."

"You can say that again," Zuko laughed, as Maki crawled into his lap, bleeting loudly for his attention.

Katara watched Zuko, the way he held Maki, played with her and laugh at her antics. He reminded her, in a very strange way, of how she would watch the other fathers play with their children back in the Water Tribe, and how she resented her own father for depriving her and Sokka of that love.

"You're really good with her," she commented, smiling at Maki. "Do you plan on having kids?"

Zuko glanced at Katara, and moved closer to her so that Maki could play with them both. They sat opposite each other, with Maki sprawled beneath them, bleeting in happiness as they stroked and scratched her.

"I never used to," Zuko admitted, looking down at Maki. "I used to hate kids so much, and I guess a part of me still does. But lately I've been wondering about maybe having a family of my own some day."

"Do you know with who yet?" Katara asked, laughing as Maki climbed on to her.

Zuko watched her softly, as she smiled gently at Maki, holding her with that maternal instinct she would never be able to get rid of. He had never once looked at Mai this way, and that's what surprised him; Mai was his girlfriend, and he never saw a future with her. And Katara was barely his friend, and all he could think about was how happy they could be together.

"No, just...waiting for the right person, I guess," Zuko lied, scratching the back of his head. "What about you?"

The smile from Katara's face fell, and she licked her full lips hesitantly.

"Before I met Aang, all I wanted was a family of my own; children that I could take care of that were actually mine. But I don't know...I just...I just don't think I want that anymore," She said slowly. "I don't think I can."

"Why not?" Zuko asked, holding the now sleepy Maki in his lap.

Katara took a little time to answer, but he didn't push her; her mind said one thing, her heart another. She knew that she should keep her mouth shut, she should say nothing but goodnight and leave right there and then. But even after forcing her heart into a cage for over a year and a half, it broke out for a few minutes.

"Because how can I have a life like that when there are still people who are afraid to go out and get food for their own families, Zuko? The world is so torn apart, and I used to think that Aang would be able to fix all of that, but I realize now that he never can."

"It's not your duty to fix everything, Katara," Zuko said softly, blaming on the fact that Maki was now asleep.

"No, Zuko," Katara said quietly, looking away. "Do you remember, just after the war ended I went to Ba Sing Se to heal the people the rebels had hurt?"

Zuko remembered the conversation she had with Aang, and tried to forget it. "Yeah; what happened out there anyways? You didn't give me any feedback on the situation."

Katara's eyes clouded with guilt, the screaming faces that haunted her dreams rushing back to her.

"Everything...it was completely destroyed, Zuko. They had completely annihilated an entire village. There was no one there that wasn't completely disabled or scarred for life there. People would just scream and scream, and never even stop for sleep. The children wouldn't talk to anyone, they wouldn't even tell me how they got their wounds."

Zuko's brows furrowed, and he used every fibre of strength he had not to hold her. But Katara looked up at him suddenly, her icy blue eyes alive with fire that overwhelmed him. Her eyes bore into him, and he was sure she could hear his heart flatline.

"But they were clever about it, Zuko," She said firmly. "They created a poison that they soaked their weapons in, and so everyone that would somehow survive would die slowly from it afterwards."

"You mean..." Zuko whispered. "No one survived?"

Katara's anguish caught up with her, and Zuko could feel it. He could feel her titanium wall surround her, cutting him off. He felt her eyes tightening as a chain wound around her soul, locked itself, and threw away the key. He knew that everything that had happened between them would not exist the minute daylight rushed through the window.

"There are things that you, and not even Aang know about, things that neither of you really know until it has happened right in front of you. There are things in this world that could be described to every fragment of detail, but you will never be able to understand until it's right in front of you."

Zuko looked at Katara, who she really was, for the first time, and it all made sense to him. His golden eyes glistened for her, his heart swelling for her. He now knew why she was called Blue Titanium, and would never question her again for as long as he lived.

Katara reached over and stroked Maki's sleeping head, drawing Zuko's eyes to the lamb too. They both watched, and they knew that Maki symbolized everything that had to be protected in the world, everything that gave meaning as to why they were here, and why they couldn't leave.

Maki symbolized why the war would never really be over.

* * *

Ooohh...drama. Plus a lamb. *gasp*. Haha, I know nothing about lambs, had to do some research...it wasn't that weird until my Mum walked in on me looking at lamb pictures on google :\ yeah...

Hope you liked this chapter :) Took ages to write, especially since I scrapped it halfway through because I thought it was so shit..

Please review, and I hope you have an weird and wonderful day/night!

Take care! Until next time,

- Yin


	4. Chapter 4 Part 1

Why hello there! Today...it is a Sunday. It kinda sucks, because I know I have school tomorrow, and that makes me upset. But nevertheless, I thought I would start writing this chappy today, even though I just updated the last one yesterday; takes me a few days to complete one chapter, so starting early is good!

My life isn't very interesting...but even so I'll try to think of something interesting that happened today...

Had maths tuition today, and learnt about circle theorems; you ever get that moment, when someone is trying to teach you something, and they're like, "Do you get it?" and on the inside you're like, "IS THIS EVEN ENGLISH?" and on the outside, you're just like, "Yeah! It's not as hard as I thought!"

Well...that happened today. A lot. And then when I came home, I was eyeing my dream guitar, a Taylor 814ce. I say dream guitar, because I would never actually be able to get it since its so flipping expensive! And when I mean expensive, I mean £2,800. WTF. So I calculated when I would finally be able to get it, including Christmas and birthday money, and deducting costs for when I go to University.

It will take, like, 8 years...yah. Gonna end on this very accurate quote:

"Money can't buy happiness, but I'd much rather cry in a Ferrari."

Have a happy day peoples!

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Part 1**

Katara tied her hair back neatly, in a half-up, half-down style, at the start of everyday, just like her mother had taught her to; and this day wasn't any different. She didn't even need a mirror anymore, which was convenient when she was travelling or was unable to retrieve one, but now that she had everything at her fingertips again, she wondered why she didn't take it for granted.

Instead of wearing her usual Water Tribe robes, she dressed in her battle outfit, with her long, sky blue tunic, traded for one just below her waist, now a deep navy colour. Her arms were free, and she wore an upper arm bracelets on both arms, two on the left. She had also fashioned her mother's necklace in a way so that it fell just below her collar bone.

Today was when she would go to the Four Nations army base to see how the new recruits were getting along, since she was their leader, after all. She didn't doubt the army's capabilities, but it was still her duty to be along side them as they trained.

The Four Nations Army is an alliance formed and funded by all four nations, which consisted in around a hundred of the best water, fire and earthbenders. It is created to protect and defend civilians against rebel attacks, so that they would not have to die needlessly.

Katara admitted that she was surprised when they nominated her to be the leader, since she thought they would prefer someone with more experience; but they had argued that there was no better experience than fighting alongside the Avatar, and training him to defeat the Fire Lord. Because of this, it was never really her choice whether to object.

If someone needed her, she would be there; that was the one thing that war could never take away from her.

As she left the mansion, only to be escorted a few miles away to the base, she wondered whether she should tell Zuko she was leaving, but the thought swiftly left her mind as easily as it entered. It was strange how he, more than anyone else, even Aang, would suddenly enter her mind. She wouldn't say they were friends just yet, but close allies.

It was strange, living in the same household as someone she used to hate so strongly, but it didn't matter, since she had tried her best to remain placid and firm regarding their relationship. It angered her frequently, how she would, on some days, loosen the firm grip she had on her emotions unintentionally, and they would spill out in smiles, or fluttering her heart when she looked at him, or flipping her stomach when he smiled right at her, or said her name.

Besides, its not like they could be anymore than that anyways. He was the Fire Lord; there was no chance in hell that they would ever be more than friends at best. Her life wasn't about settling and and finding love anymore; it was about protecting the world and its people. Maybe then she would be able to sleep soundly at night, though the chances of that now were almost non existent.

And she silently worried everyday, because that dream grew fainter and fainter with every tear she refused to let fall.

Nevertheless, she would never stop trying to achieve that goal. And thankfully, after interviewing countless officials, she had found a general who was fit to keep an eye on the Four Nations army, regarding training and decisions in combat whilst she was working. Someone who shared the same ideals as her.

Even though most people thought her to be naive and ignorant, General Lee respected her and her accomplishments, even though he was in his twenties. He reminded her of an older and more mature version of Sokka in a way, with his jet black hair and fierce features. But General Lee's eyes were a pastel green, defiant and determined, whilst Sokka's were still an innocent blue.

She admitted that he was a little more...'pretty' than what she had hoped for, since this raised the chance of him not being taken seriously enough. But who was she to talk, commanding an army at sixteen years old?

Besides, good masters, leaders, commanders, come in all shapes and sizes. General Lee was the best earthbender she knew, besides Toph, who understandingly wanted nothing to do with the rebel armies. As she thought of her friend, she wondered what it would have been like to go back to the Water Tribe and live as she did before. What saddened her was that even though it was a possibility, it was nothing more than a fantasy now.

* * *

Arriving at the army base, the soldiers guarding the gates immediately, saluted her, to which she returned the favor. She found it ironic that she was the superior to men double her age, even though they may have had years more experience than her. But she pushed this thought briskly aside, and tried to maintain her serious nature as she entered the large metal fortress, at least twice as large as the Fire Lord's mansion, with multiple, smaller buildings around it.

She remembered just in time, that she was now Master Katara, as opposed to Lady Katara; she was only Lady when she was in the mansion or attending formal gatherings, but when war was a subject, like when she came to the Four Nations army base, or attended meetings, she was always Master.

Walking up the steps and to the huge, bolted front door, General Lee emerged from the side of it, saluting her. He wore his grey commander uniform, with a white flash on the chest to symbolize his status, and a green sash around his body to show that he was of the Earth Nation.

He was tall, no doubt, and strong built around the shoulders and arms. He had rather full lips and medium length, ebony black hair, pulled back neatly as to not both his face whilst he worked. Katara knew he was an attractive man, but all she could think when she looked at other men that way, were a pair of two golden eyes, fierce yet compassionate, one covered with charred skin of a scar.

"Thank you for being here on such short notice, Master Katara," General greeted in his deep voice.

Katara saluted quickly. "No need to thank me, General."

They both proceeded into the large building, passing many officials as they went, all stopping in their tracks to salute Katara, or even bow to her. They continued their way through the fortress until they were out of the other side, then entering another large building where the benders would train. It was underground, so they had to be bended there by earth benders in the middle of the large field.

Two earthbenders, dressed in their traditional uniform stood either side of the pair, and swung their arms strongly, forcing the earth beneath their feet to plummet downwards into a metal tunnel.

"Have you heard of the Lake Laogi mimics happening in Ba Sing Se, Master Katara?" General Lee asked.

"The rebels want us to attack them blindly out of rage, and kill off as many of us as possible," she said flatly. "We don't even know where they are situated in the city, or have any intel as to who is even leading them. Our best bet is to wait until we really have a shot at bringing them down, rather than just letting our men die needlessly."

The General nodded, agreeing with her. The approached the enormous hall, which was thick with noise, due to the training going on there. They stepped out into a metal balcony, with steps running down one side, that overlooked acres of the underground hall, evenly spaced with soldiers.

There stood hundreds of water, fire and earth benders training against each other, treating it like actual battle.

Almost immediately, they sensed Katara's presence in the room, and all keeled on the floor, bowing their heads to her. Katara stood at the top of the balcony they had just walked onto, looking down at the soldiers before her, that ranged from ages twenty to thirty five. They all wore the same grey uniform, but had different coloured collars, indicating which element they could manipulate.

She saluted them. "Rise," she commanded softly. They all rose from their stance and saluted, their bodies strong and unyielding. "Continue to train, soldiers, you are doing well. We want to see your progression and ability to react in combat."

They all stamped in response, and then carried on with training; water, fire and pieces of large rock flying through the air almost instantly. Katara walked down the steps, General Lee at her side, surveying her soldiers, deciding to start with the firebenders.

They picked an area where a few firebenders worked, and she admitted, they were impressive. She watched a small duel happening close to her, between to young women, training with each other. They were calm and passive, surveying each other like they were hunting.

The first girl, with piercing jade green eyes and dark brown hair, leaped in a backwards summer-salt at her opponent, using the force to thrust her fire in two directions, one large ember bursting from each arm, trapping her victim. The other girl, a light haired blonde, with a fierce face, ducked forward, pushing fire to her feet, charging to the brunette at an almost lightening speed.

The brunette kicked her leg in a slice like motion, tilted to the ground, canceling out the fire rushing to her. In a counter attack, the blonde jumped up high into the air, flipping and using her leg to to direct the huge ball of fire.

Leaping away, the blonde punched her arms in the air rapidly, shooting out bursts of fire to the brunette who was now crouched on the floor after landing. Dodging the bursts of flames quickly, one glided against her exposed arm, but the fire missed.

The brunette's eyebrows then furrowed, and she looked at her arm to find a long stratch. Though, she pushed the thought aside and leaped back as the blonde came charging at her with fire covered arms.

"Impressive," General Lee commented. "She used the balls of fire to hide her daggers."

"Good; she's going to need that kind of thinking when we eventually go to Ba Sing Se," Katara said firmly.

She used water in her already full pouched to created carry her feet swiftly to the other side of the hall. General Lee followed swiftly, using the earth to glide his feet across the floor, similar to ice skating.

They were at the other side of the hall in a matter of seconds, ready to witness a spar between a young male waterbender, and a slightly older female earthbender. The two watched each other for a few seconds, the earthbenders long red hair falling over shoulder as she paced.

The waterbender, who was only a boy of about 23, who's nervousness was too apparent on his still youthful face. But time ran out, and the earthbender stamped on the ground, summoning a huge plate of rock to hover in the air. She flipped it vertically, and sent it surging to the un-armed waterbender.

He bended the water from his pouches and sliced it in the air, cutting the huge flat rock in half, passing him. But the earthbender had used this as a distraction to glide her way, similarly to General Lee, to the waterbender's side, getting ready to submerge his feet in the earth beneath him, disabling him of movement.

But the boy had already whipped around and grabbed the earthbender's wrists. He then used his water to engulf her hands and wrists and froze them in thick ice, so she was unable to use her arms. The young earthbender staggered backwards, trying to break free of the ice.

"He may look nervous, but he is thinking well on his feet," General Lee commented.

The earthbender then summoned a small rock from the ground with a stamp and twist of her foot, and knelt down to it, banging her wrists violently against them in an attempt to break the ice. If she had no use of her arms, she was close to useless.

The waterbender stood, helpless. All the water he had was used in that one attack to bind the earthbender's hands together; until she broke free, he could not do anything but dodge until he could collect his water again.

After realizing that this method would not free her arms, she brainstormed quickly to find another solution. It was apparent when she had found one, because she stood with her feet a little further apart than usual, and spaced out her elbows, which was the only part of her forearm she could now use.

She then hit the ground with her heel, and sent an extremely fine piece of earth flying upwards, slicing through in between her wrists and hands. She then used her arms in a swinging motion, to summon several of these fine pieces of earth from the ground, and send them hurtling to the defenseless waterbender.

But before they could reach his body, the girl stopped the pieces of earth, since she had won the battle. The pieces of earth dropped to the floor, and the waterbender unfroze the water still attatched to earthbender's wrists. They bowed, and turned to Katara and General Lee.

"That was good," Katara spoke, nodding her head in approval. "You both came up with some good ideas to defend yourselves."

They bowed, but Katara faced the waterbender, walking closer to him. Everyone else around the area slowly stopped their sparring, and turned to watch Katara approach the waterbending boy.

She smiled at him. "You did well, binding her arms like that; it shows how hard you work outside of training, in terms of learning your opponents weaknesses," she said. "But if you run out of water, you don't have to wait until you can retrieve yours, or find another source."

Katara whipped her around in a large circle, and then held up her palm to reveal a ball of floating water she had extracted from the air. The other soldiers around, particularly the waterbenders, watched in awe. The boy in front of her eyes widened in amazement.

"What is your name?" she asked softly.

"K-Kao," stuttered the boy.

She smiled fondly at him, even though he was seven years older than her.

"Kao," she spoke faintly. "I learnt this technique from a woman called Hama. She was of the Southern Water Tribe, the last waterbender there before me. She taught me this skill out of revenge, but I am teaching it to you out of hope for a brighter world. There is water everywhere; in the air, the plants and even food. Once you have learnt to extract water from these places, you will never be without it again. Hell, I've even used my own sweat for water!"

"Isn't that the time when you were caught in a small Fire Nation jail, Master Katara?" asked Kao earnestly.

She smiled at him, patting his shoulder. "Yes, it is."

"C-could you show us something else, Master Katara?" asked the blonde girl from the previous spar, somehow making it across the room to watch Katara speak to Kao.

"Katara hummed questioningly. "Why not?" she concluded playfully. "Who wants to spar with me?"

The room then erupted in noise, all pleading to spar with Katara. Anyone who sparred with her would always learn something from the experience, and would always result in becoming a better bender in the process.

Katara laughed at her eager soldiers, and the sound of her laughter felt foreign to her.

"Master Katara," General Lee said firmly, not at her side. "There is someone here to see you."

Katara raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything to him. She turned to the soldiers with an apologetic look on her face, for she enjoyed sparring with them too. "I'm sorry, everyone," she spoke softly. "Something's come up; maybe next time."

Everyone's faces fell, but they agreed silently, stamped in a salute, and walked back to their training areas, continuing to spar with each other. Katara walked to the side of the hall with General Lee before asking him who could possibly want to see her, but before she could answer, she was cut off.

"Ah, Lady Katara," cried a man from the side door. "I've been waiting to see you."

The man was obviously one of the richer members of the Fire Nation, thinking that just because they funded the militaries, they could decide what decisions they make, even though they didn't know the first thing about battle strategy.

The man was on the larger side, and wore even more extravagant robes than the Fire Lord; he had that greedy look on his face, something that was practically genetic for all of the richer people here; they thought that just because they were rich, they had the right to have anything and everything they wanted, even control over how the Fire Nation speaks with the other diplomats of other nations, and even the choices the military should make regarding the rebels.

Katara groaned inwardly, but fought to act like she had a care in the world. "And who are you may I ask? Coming into my sparring hall without any appointment or regard for the training I am giving to my soldiers?" she snapped.

The man looked taken aback by her bluntness, but continued anyway. "I am Mr Hiroshi; I was a family friend of the previous Fire Lord's sibling, General Iroh. We shared a friendship before war got in the way, and the General and I lost contact."

_Sure, the war is why you lost contact._ Katara spoke inwardly, but dismissed. "And why are you here, Sir Hiroshi?"

The chubby man grinned triumphantly. "Aah, now we're speaking the same language, Lady Katara."

Katara scowled; how was asking who he was, not speaking english? She then remembered that the rich people here are incredibly stupid, and tried to muster every ounce of self control she had to cover her disapproval.

"Regarding war, I am Master Katara," she stated coldly. "You will address the same way my colleagues and soldiers do. Is that understood?"

Mr Hiroshi coughed nervously, finally taking the hint that he was not in Katara's good book. "Ah, yes. Whatever; send in the children!"

Katara's eyes widened, her jaw clenching. "Children?" she seethed. "Why are there children at my base?"

At that moment, though the side door, some young adolescents, aging from around 12 to 16 walked in, there being about 20 of them altogether. They lined up against the wall, their backs straight and their faces young and not yet aged by war.

"For you see, Master Katara," Mr Hiroshi mocked. "These children are some of the best at our bending school in the center of the Fire Nation. They excel far beyond average when it comes to bending, and I think will make an excellent edition to your army; a junior section, if you will."

Katara's blood boiled, her hands fisted, her breathing rapid and shallow, her eyes darkening with hatred. Everything she had ever worked for, to protect the people of the earth, and stop children ever experiencing what she had to, was being completely ripped from under by a well fed, ignorant idiot.

"You expect children to be a part of my army?" she seethed, glaring at the chubby man.

"Not just any children, _Master_ Katara," Mr Hiroshi pointed out 'cleverly'. "These children are-"

"I DON'T CARE!" Katara screamed, making every single soul in the room fall silent. "People like you are the exact reason as to why I work myself to death every day and night; I work for the protection and peace of the world and it's people, _especially_ its children; and you want to put them into an army, where they will go to countries and be killed instantly?"

"B-b-but, you were only 14 when you accompanied the Avatar! Him himself only 12!" Mr Hiroshi cried, frightened.

"EXACTLY!" Katara seethed. "When I was 14, I was forced to grow up! When I was 14 I had either lost, or had to leave behind _everything_ I ever cared about, and risk my life everyday for a cause that wasn't even my problem to begin with!"

The entire was completely silent, not a breath could be heard but Katara's.

"When I was 14, I had no choice," she spoke quietly. "I had to become a perfect mother, sister, protector, master and soldier all at once. Now I fight to put an end to this, and you bring in these children thinking it will benefit, this nation, or even the world?"

Mr Hiroshima quivered in front of her, embarrassed and ashamed. "But, I-"

She grabbed his collar so that his face was close to hers, and she could feel the fear run through his veins. "You're an _idiot_." she spat. She then threw his body away from her, whilst trying to control her strength, but he still ended up crashing into the wall.

"Get this imbecil and these children out of my sight!" she commanded, barely being able to control her rage. The guards instantly obeyed her commands, holding Mr Hiroshi fiercly by the shoulders, and escorting him out, the young adolescents closely following him.

Katara turned around, still seething. But her eyes widened, when she saw that all the waterbenders in the rooms identified their pouches, confused, for all of the water had broken free from it, dripping onto the floor. All the other benders just stared at her, some amazed, some afraid, some both.

Katara looked away in anguish at what she had inadvertently done to the water in the pouches. She turned to General Lee, who was looking at her with concern in his pastel green eyes, licking his lips, as if he was about to say something.

"I have work to do back at the mansion," she said in a low voice, interrupting his thoughts, not looking at him in the eyes. "I better get going."

"Do you want an escort?" He asked rather informally, like she was a friend.

She shook her head, still not looking at him. "No, I'll be fine." She turned round to see the spilt water running everywhere. "Sorry about the mess."

General Lee shook his head, smiling softly at her. "It's not problem, we have a hose pipe to fill up the pouches anyway."

Katara nodded, accidently sighing out aloud. In an attempt to be on her own as quickly as possible, she bended some of the spilt water from the floor and twisted it around her body. She then shot herself upwards, straight to the metal balcony where the lift was, instead of walking all the way into the middle of the hall again.

General Lee watched her as she flew, and as she landed safely, even gracefully on the balcony, before entering the earthbending elevator, disappearing. He sighed, running his hands through his jet black hair, worrying about the young master much more than he intended to.

* * *

...Decided half way through I have to make a part two to this :/ A lot happens in this chapter, anyways...

Hope you enjoyed, please review! Enjoy your day!

- Yin


	5. Chapter 4 Part 2

Bonjour! :) I know this one's a little late, but I'm quite sick, meaning my ability to look at a computer for a long amount of time is deteriorating...boo hoo! :\

Okay, interesting event today...

Ooh, in my dream last night, I dreamt that my celebrity crush, Chris Hemsworth (Thor from the film Thor) and his brother (Luke Hemsworth, Gale from The Hunger Games) both came to my house to fix my car, even though I don't have one. And when I saw Chris Hemsworth, I really really freaked out, and couldn't say anything at all. So he was like, "Hi! How are you? We've come to fix a car motor?", and I was like, "O_O ?".

Let me tell you, dream or not, you have no idea how frustrating it is when the most beautiful man on earth is in front of you but you cannot talk to him!

Well, enjoy this chappy! Please review, you have no idea how happy they make me. :)

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Part 2**

Katara stormed into the mansion, causing the guards at the door to jump with fright. The water she had used to travel there floated in small balls around her clenched hands, like specs of dust, without her meaning to.

She stomped her way to her office, muttering colourful language under her breath, petrifying all of the maids. As she turned a corridor, Zuko was talking with some of the other government Officials of the Fire Nation, and they all looked up worriedly at her. She didn't even noticed them, walking past to the end of the corridor where she slammed her office door loudly, so that it echoed through the mansion.

There was a pause for a moment as their heads all turned to the sound of the slamming door. The three officials then turned their heads to Zuko, looking at him with experienced, and expectant eyes.

"What?" asked Zuko childishly.

"Aren't you gonna go talk to her?" one of the Officials asked, stroking his old, grey beard.

"W-Why would I?" Zuko stuttered.

"Because something obviously pissed her off," said another elderly Official. "Aren't you gonna go find out what it was?"

Zuko was taken aback by how informal they were to him, treating him as if he was their grandchild or something, reminding him of how his Uncle would speak to him when he was younger, or how his mother would speak to him when he was a child.

"But she's so angry," Zuko whispered frighteningly, worried that she might hear and slice his head off with some water. "What do I even say to her?"

The Officials smiled at him. "Just...show her that you care; women love that!"

"And listen to her!"

"And sort your hair out!" The last Official cried, pulling Zuko's fire clip out of his bun, making his hair fall over his eyes, naturally. "That stupid bun makes you look ten years older!"

"Wh-?" Zuko started, but they pushed his strong body, that was now seemingly weak, over to Katara's office, knocking on the door for him, and then proceeded to run away like mischievous children, sniggering.

Zuko was bewildered, and looked after the Officials as they ran, opening his mouth to say something, but he was cut off.

The door opened almost immediately, too quickly for him, and the seething waterbender glared at him.

"What?" she snapped.

"Erm...e-er..." Zuko stuttered, trying to find his words. "I...I just...err..."

Katara's eyes narrowed at him. "Well?"

"Can I come in?" he said quickly. His words were fast and in jumble, and he didn't even know if she understood him.

But she had this calculating look on her face like she was trying to figure what he was up to; her electric blue eyes bore into him like daggers, making him feel vulnerable and even more anxious. He chewed on the inside of his mouth, trying to conceal his slight fear of her.

But she moved her body to the side, allowing him to enter. Zuko inwardly let out a relieved sigh, and then realized the real struggle was about to start. He enetered her office that resembled his slightly, but it was more...blue.

Unlike his office, that had ornaments and paintings on the wall, hers had nothing; it was quite bare and bland, except for a ceramic blue put that had no flowers in it, obviously being from the Water Tribe.

But they both stood in the middle of the office, neither of them sitting down. Katara's arms were folded, and she was looking at him intently, waiting for him to say something. Zuko's mouth became dry, and he ran his hands through his hair, trying to look like he was not petrified.

Since he had said nothing, Katara started. "If this is about Aang's letter...I don't really know what to do," she said slowly. "I mean, I know they want to see us and everything, but we can't afford to stay in Ba Sing Se for more than four days, and-"

"What letter?" Zuko asked, confused. But he pushed it aside. "I came to see if you were okay."

Katara's head cocked backwards, completely taken aback by his words. Zuko...came to ask about her well being? For a second, she thought it was a joke, but after surveying his eyes rather strategically, she was surprised when she had found sincerity in them. She coughed, befuddled, not knowing what to say.

Nobody had asked her about her feelings in a long, long time.

"I-I'm fine," she stuttered, not used to feeling so vulnerable in front of anyone.

"What happened at the base?" Zuko asked softly, leaning against the wall.

Katara watched his, her brows furrowing slightly; why was he suddenly...caring about her? She tried to focus on how hard his blood pumped around his body, trying desperately to see if he was lying through the beats per second of his heart, but she failed.

His golden eyes glistened as he looked her, surrounding her in their warmth. He wasn't wearing his huge robes for some reason, probably because it was so hot; this meant that he was only wearing his maroon, sleeveless shirt and matching trousers. His arms and a part of his chest were exposed, showing his pale, flawless skin covering his toned and muscular physic.

His hair fell messily over his face, but she liked that about him; he had that mature, husky charm that she had failed to find with Aang. She tried to deny Zuko's attractiveness, but she failed to do so miserably, and her heart started to pound in her chest, despite her trying to stop it. His eyes engulfed her attention, the scar on his left eye adding a mysterious and sexy quality to his already handsome face.

But Katara pulled herself together and looked away from him, trying to inwardly slow her heart rate down.

"Some rich idiot tried to propose that adolescents should be in the the Four Nations." she said briskly, doing her best to hide her blush. "It just...annoyed me. A lot."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, in his deep voice. "You know that those rich folk are idiots, don't listen to them. What was his name?"

Katara waved her hand casually, indicating she had forgotten. "Hiroshima or something..?"

Zuko's eyes widened, and he chuckled. Katara watched him laugh, confused and captivated at the same time; she tried find something unattractive and off-putting about his nature, his looks, his body, his personality. But when she failed again, she resulted in pretending she was annoyed.

"What's so funny?" she snapped.

Zuko tried to force his chuckle into a hault, but still left a smile on his face, causing Katara's heart to skip a beat. "It just explains a lot," Zuko said, smiling with his perfect teeth. "Hiroshima is the man who suggested we do that pelican trade thing!"

Katara blinked a few times, and tried with every ounce of strength in her body to try and suppress her smile, but she couldn't. She giggled like a school girl, even though she tried her hardest to remain serious. But when Zuko started laughing again, she couldn't stop; whenever he would laugh, he would automatically set her off too.

"That...explains a lot!" Katara said, wiping a tear from her eye due to the laughter.

"It sure does!" Zuko agreed, his smile simple on his striking face.

She watched him, and he watched her, and wondered why she had never felt this way about Aang. Guilt then overwhelmed her all of a sudden, and she bit her lip as she looked into Zuko's eyes, knowing it was wrong that she was doing so.

"Thank you, Zuko." She said softly. She hadn't spoken to anyone like that since well before the war, and so Zuko was taken surprised to hear that familiar tone again.

He was so sure that she couldn't be anymore beautiful than that second; with her long curley hair falling over her shoulders, her slightly-lighter-than-coffee coloured skin glowing as the sunlight hit her, her full lips curving softly at the edges into a smile. Her eyes a now calmed ocean, engraving itself into his memory.

"It's...nothing," he said softly, almost like a whisper. The two looked at each other for a long moment, before realizing it had been well over two minutes, and they both coughed to hide the now awkward atmosphere.

"So, what's this letter from Aang about?" Zuko asked suddenly, changing the subject.

Katara gladly complied. "Him, Toph and Sokka want to meet up with us after we see the Earth King in Ba Sing Se," she explained, tucking some hair behind her ear. "They say it will be like, 'old times'.

"So..what's wrong with that?" Zuko asked.

Katara scratched her head, looking away from him. "You know, work and stuff; it will mean we would have to stay in Ba Sing Se for a minimum of one week."

"That's not too bad," Zuko said, still trying to find out what bothered her. "Why are you so hesitant, Katara?"

Her cheeks flushed a slight rosy colour as he said her name, but it quickly faded as she thought about why she was so reluctant to go to Ba Sing Se. She gripped onto her arms tightly whilst they were folded, and she peered out of the window looking into her office intently.

"I...I haven't seen Aang in a long time," she said quietly. Her brain told her to shut up, but she didn't. "It's been almost a year now. I haven't seen him since we...you know."

"Oh," Zuko said quietly.

There was a pause, and Zuko could tell there were a lot of reasons as to why neither of them should talk about this now; work was both in the backs of their minds, as well as meetings, documents, paper signings and letters to write.

"How about we talk at dinner," He suggested, not really knowing how he sounded. "We'll eat outside today; most of the officials brought their wives or husbands and children in today. Eating outside would be a much more peaceful alternative anyway."

"That...sounds nice," Katara agreed. "I'm so not in the mood for children right now, anyways."

Zuko smiled, walking to the door, opening it. "I'll see you tonight, then." Katara nodded, and he left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Katara groaned quietly, turning around so that she was facing the wall she was leaning on, and then proceeding to bang her head on it multiple times. What was wrong with her? He was the Fire Lord! It would never ever be okay to look at someone that, especially him!

She had to find a way to rid herself of these feelings, and fast; how would she look to everyone after ending her relationship with the Avatar because she claimed she needed to focus on the world, and then proceed to look at the Fire Lord as someone...more than the Fire Lord.

She then hurried to her desk, and pulled out a pen and paper, ignoring the huge paper stacked up neatly at the end of it. She sat down and pulled her chair in so she was upright and alert, and wrote a title on top of the page in her loopy handwriting:

"Unattractive Things About Zuko"

* * *

Zuko tried to kid himself that he was concentrating, but all he could think about was how stupid he was; having dinner with Katara? Alone? Seriously? He smacked his forehead, and then buried his hands into his thick ebony hair, tugging at the roots.

What was wrong with him? What could of possibly happened in his head that made him think that this was a perfectly sane idea? A couple of months ago they wouldn't even look at each other, and now they were going to be looking at each other for...however long an entire dinner lasts.

"Okay, Zuko, just calm down," he said quietly, hoping his secretary didn't hear him. "It's just dinner. With a friend. People have dinners with friends all the time! Hell, when you were travelling with the Avatar, you had dinner with your friends every night! It's no big deal; no big deal at all."

And after about an hour of repeating these sentences over and over into his own memory, Zuko then started to stress about something else entirely. What would he wear? It was dangerously hot outside, so he couldn't wear his robes. But what was wrong with was he was wearing now? It was comfortable, complemented his body well, as his Uncle would say.

But if it was so hot outside, wouldn't he smell? But he had already showered that morning; even so, he decided to shower again before dinner. But then he couldn't wear what he was wearing now, because you cannot put on the same clothes after you shower, it completely contradicted the point of showering in the first place; which brought him back to his original point.

What was he going to wear?

Zuko grunted loudly, fire escaping his nostrils. What annoyed him was the fact that he had a full on relationship with Mai, but he never cared in the slightest what he would look like with her; on the contrary, he would sometimes even forget that he had dates with her, even though she would nag him about it the entire day beforehand.

Katara wasn't even his real friend yet, and he was worrying about things that he didn't even think were problems; when did he become like this? The high and mighty powerful Zuko, worrying what he was going to wear for dinner with a colleague.

He sensed someone looking at him, and jerked his head up to find his secretary, Anya, peering at him from around the wall.

"Yes, Anya?" he asked.

The young girl, even though she was older than Zuko, walked out from behind the wall and stood in the middle of the room, with her eyebrows furrowed while she look at him. She wore her brown hair in a pony tail everyday, and had a simple, youthful face, which was now contorted in what looked like frustration.

"I'm sorry, Fire Lord Zuko," she said in her now not so timid voice. She threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "But I quit!" Zuko blinked, furrowing his brows, but she didn't give him any time to speak.

"I'm so sick of you getting your knickers in a twist everyday over Lady Katara; it's been over a year and a half now! It's driving you insane, and I'm so tired of watching you do nothing everyday!"

"Well what am I supposed to do?" Zuko cried, frustratingly, not even bothering to deny it.

Anya slapped her forehead and grunted loudly in anger. She turned on her heel, and embers flew from her feet as she moved, and Zuko raised his eyebrows; he didn't even know she was a firebender!

Even so she proceeded to gather her things as she continued to yell at him. "It doesn't matter whether you live on the street or live in a palace! I swear on my Grandmother's grave that all men on the earth are equally idiotic!"

She slammed the door behind her, leaving Zuko to start to tear his hair out again.

"Women are crazy!" he cried to himself, before letting his head drop heavily onto his desk.

* * *

Katara whined loudly in her office, for her secretary had another room next to her, unlike Zuko's. She smoothed back her hair from her hairline with both hands, stretching her eyes open to stare at her list of unattractive things about Zuko.

She had written, 'too muscly' as the first bullet point, but practically laughed as she scribbled it out again. All she ever did when she was with Zuko was stare at his well built body, so she knew that she could never learn to hate anything in that area.

Then after thinking of every possible thing she could, she wrote down, 'ears', as her new first bullet point. But his ears were slender and mostly covered by his hair, so she could barely see them, unlike her own ones that were slightly chubby, which, to combat this, she had pierced multiple times. This caused her to scribble that bullet point out as well, which just left her with a blank piece of paper with a title and two scribbles underneath it.

She leaned back in her chair and massaged the back of her neck, for it hurt after staring at that piece of paper for so long. It was rare, but random moments like these that she would wonder what it would be like to still have her mother around.

Katara closed her eyes and imagined her face, but it was blurry and faded now, and she knew that this image would only depreciate further over time. So instead, she thought of the South Pole. Of the whole village filled with noise in the middle of the day, children running around and playing in the snow, their mothers occasionally yelling at them to be careful.

She thought of the smell of sea prunes, even though she didn't even like them that much. She thought of the iglus and huts covered with snow in the morning when they woke, and everyone calling her to push it off before it seeped into their houses; back then, she thought that that waterbending move was so complicated, since it had taken her several houses to master it.

But even as she thought of these things, it didn't feel like home to her without her mother's voice; it didn't feel like home until her father and under the moonlight and Sokka would make gagging noises. It didn't feel like home without her mother tending to Sokka's cuts and bruises, or teaching her how to cook or sew.

The only thing that made her comfortable in that village were her memories of those things, and her natural element surrounding everything, everywhere. She knew that she would never hear or see things like that again, but it didn't help with trying to get over that fact.

She opened her eyes, and gritted her teeth when she felt her eyes moisten; she wanted to be a little girl again. She wanted to be taken care of, instead of taking care of everyone else. She wanted that stability in her life, knowing that someone would be there for her on days like this.

But she shook her head, flicking her hand, and swiftly bended her tears into the the ceramic blue pot that was almost full. She pushed her list onto the floor and started on a large pile of paperwork, reading every word thoroughly.

But Katara was not stupid. She had learned from her mistakes, and everyone elses. She knew that she would be alone, and accepted this as her new role in the world; like a mother with no real husband, with no real children.

With no perminant family.

* * *

Zuko plummeted down onto the grass, exasperated. He never thought that having dinner outside would be such a big deal. In his mind, it was just a rug on the floor and some food, but being the Fire Lord, he should've known it wouldn't have been that easy.

The maids and butlers pestered him like he was their child, telling him that he and Lady Katara could not eat off of the grass like barnyard animals. He understood their concern, since most of the staff cared for Zuko when he was a child, and so he did his best not to argue with them, out of respect.

Two hours and nine negotiations later, Zuko was left with a simple table with an umbrella attached to it, and two lawn chairs either side. The furniture was situated a little away from the mansion, 'little' meaning a couple of miles. He had requested that neither of them were to be disturbed by anyone, and the staff only nodded, smirking at the Fire Lord as they left.

"You don't want to sit on a chair?"

Zuko sat up quickly in a daze to that familiar. "You're early!"

Katara wore some casual short shorts and a vest top, like the night they had gone to see Maki. Her hair however was braided to the opposite side to where her bangs fell, ending close to her lower abdomen. She had upper arm bracelets in the same place as always; two on the left, one on the right.

She was a few paces away from him, but still peered at him quizzically. "What are you doing down there?"

"Err...just stretching," He lied badly, but hurriedly changed the topic. "Let's have a seat; I don't know about you but I'm starving!"

Katara nodded, still slightly confused, but agreed that food should be their starting conversation. A couple of butlers came out of nowhere and served them both their meals with some water, to which both of the master benders were surprised by. Just as one of the butlers left, he turned around and winked at Zuko, leaving the young man feeling embarrassed and awkward.

"I think I like food too much," Katara admitted, wolfing down her meal. "I know that being a medic and all, I'm only supposed to see food as fuel for your body, but it's just so good!"

"You and me both," he admitted, sipping his water. "I remember when I was younger, me and Azula would bake with my mother. Azula would always eat all of the batter and blame it on me, but my mother never scolded me for it; I guess she knew I was innocent."

Katara watched him discreetly as he took small bites of his meal, the complete opposite to her. His skin was as flawless as always, and glowed under the sunset. His hair would caress his face lightly at the breeze, his arms strong and toned in his sleeveless shirt.

Katara hesitated. "You haven't spoken about Azula in a long time," she said quietly. "Where is she now?"

Zuko licked his rather full lips, at the thought, the memory of his sister. "She's in a mental asylum in one of the Earth Kingdom Colonies."

"Do you ever go and see her?" She asked, knowing that she should keep her mouth shut.

Zuko leaned his elbow on the table, putting down his chopsticks. "I did visit her a few times; but she would always scream at me and burn the guards with her firebending since she can't control it anymore. I figured it was best to just leave her be."

"No family is perfect," Katara consoled, though it seemed more like she was talking to herself. "I can't remember the last time I ever thought of Sokka as an older brother; I get this feeling like I need to take care of him all the time. You know, ever since what happened to my mother."

"He's lucky to have you," Zuko said, resuming his meal. "All of us are. When we traveled, I was sure that they would die without you."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked, confused. "Who?"

"You know, Aang, Toph and Sokka," he said gently, looking at his food, remembering. "You would make food for them, do their laundry, heal their wounds, patch up their clothes and even give Appa a bath. You were...you were their mother."

"But I think that was the problem," Katara said, playing with her braid. "I mothered Aang so much that I couldn't be a girlfriend to him. To me, he's still that twelve year old kid I found in an ice berg."

Zuko glanced at her. "It's not your fault that you didn't feel that way about him,"

"But I should have," Katara said firmly. "He's the Avatar."

"So?" Zuko said a little louder than he wanted to. "Just because he's the Avatar doesn't mean you need to be with someone you don't love all of your life."

"How could you understand that?" She said loudly. "I was supposed to be there for Aang, even if it meant more than a friend. He had awoken into a world where all of his friends were either old or dead, his entire race completely destroyed!"

"And you think just by being with him that will change all of that?" Zuko snapped. "Katara, you can't beat yourself up because you didn't fall in love with the person you wanted to."

"But it would've been so much easier," She said quietly, playing with her food. "The most I would've done is have his little airbending children. But I left all of that, and now look at me."

"Yeah, because being one of the most important diplomats in history isn't a step up?" Zuko asked, folding his arms.

"But you and Aang are ones too!" she cried, the water bubbling in her and Zuko's glasses.

"But that's because we born that way; either into a royal family, or as the Avatar," he said. "But you were born in a village that some people didn't even know still existed! There are people in the world who will never know how Toph or Sokka helped Aang in his journey, but everyone, everywhere, knows your name, and knows who you are!"

"But that's not worth anything!" she cried, the water in the glasses shaking violently. "I can never have anyone to share all of that with, Zuko. I can never just have a normal life. I never understood how much I took that for granted until now!"

"Well the only one saying that you have to be alone is you!" Zuko said firmly.

"Well, I blew the once chance I had, and that was with the Avatar!" she fumed. "He was the one chance I had and I messed it up! Nobody wants me anyway!"

"Plenty of guys want you!" Zuko said frustratedly, not knowing what he was saying.

"Oh, yeah?" She screamed. "Like who?"

Zuko bit his tongue, slapping himself mentally. "Just plenty!" He said coolly.

Katara scowled at him, the water in the glasses rising up as forced herself back in her chair, folding her arms. She then grew aware of what she was doing to the water, and with a wave of a few of her fingers, it was back in its glass once more.

She chuckled darkly. "It looks like we've swapped roles,"

Zuko looked at her, drowning her in his golden eyes.

"Now you're the calm one, and I'm the one that's angry all of the time." she said quietly.

"No," he laughed quietly. "We're both just angry."

She grinned at him before sitting up and bending her water out of its glass, playing with it between her palms. She encircled the droplets around each other, freezing it, evaporating it, dispersing it into the air and then pulling it all back out.

She peered at him with her bright blue eyes. "You know, I always waterbend on a daily basis, but I hardly ever see you firebend, Zuko."

Zuko sighed, agreeing with her. "That's because fire is destructive; it touches one thing and everything falls down."

"Fire is life," Katara corrected, juggling the water like a child. "Water can be destructive, too. You just have to learn to control it."

"But water _brings_ life," Zuko said, raising an eyebrow. "Fire isn't always as pretty as it looks."

"Yeah, I can agree with you on that one," she admitted, rolling the water around her hands. "When Aang first learned how to firebend, with a teacher before you, he accidently burned my hands. I know he didn't mean to, but it was really painful."

Zuko cringed. "I know what it's like to be burned," he said, suddenly conscience of his scar. "What kind of burn?"

"Second degree," she said turning her head to look at the sunset, which was barely above the clouds by now, pigmenting the sky in a purple hue. "But it was good for me; that was when I found out I was healer."

She bended the water around in a ring, and froze it to form a bracelet of some kind. She smiled as she looked at it; it was blue from the ice, but there were small swirls on it with bumps, representing a pattern.

"My mother had an upper arm bracelet just like this one," she said quietly, not really aware of what she was saying, or who she was saying it to. "The little bumpy bits; they were gems. I would always play with it when I was little, and try it on, even though it would fall off my arm since I was so small."

"Why don't you wear your mothers necklace anymore?" he asked softly, not wanting to anger her.

"I..I gave it to Sokka," she said, and he knew that it had pained her to do so.

"But you loved that necklace," he said. "You wore it all the time."

"I know," she said, dropping her eyes to the table. "But I don't live in the Water Tribe anymore, and our Mum is never coming back. I just don't want him to forget either of us. I just want him to know that even though were aren't within walking distance of him, like before, he still has us. "

"It's too bad you've decided not to have children," he said softly. "You would have made a great mother."

She shrugged. "I guess I could just babysit your kids once in a while."

"Right..." Zuko said, scratching the back of his head, trying to imagine having children with anyone else but her.

* * *

The two talked for a long time, night falling without either of them noticing. But they continued to talk, neither of them touching their food other than the initial few bites at the beggining of their dinner. But the wind grew stronger and colder, forcing them both decide it was time to inside again.

"Damnit, I can't see anything!" Katara exclaimed, hugging her arms in an effort to preserve her body heat.

"This is the only time when being a firebender comes in handy," he laughed. He raised his palm so that it was facing the sky and jolted his wrist, igniting a large ember in the middle of his palm. Katara watched in awe at the flame, looking at fire differently for the first time in her life.

"Let's go then," he said, and Katara nodded, following him.

The temperature was now significantly colder than what it was earlier that afternoon, and the wind blew stronger and harder at them both. Zuko shivered, but used his fire breath to warm his body up internally so that he wouldn't catch a cold from the fierce wind.

But he heard a fast clattering sound next to him, and looked over at Katara; he then remembered that she was wearing short shorts and a vest top, whilst clutching her arms, trying to stay warm. He could hear her teeth chatter, and felt like he needed to give her a jacket or something to keep herself warm, but he was wearing a sleeveless shirt himself.

He then also remembered that it was a good two miles back to the mansion, but he had never dreamed either of them would stay out this late. He was thankful for the darkness then, because a pinkish hue pigmented his cheeks.

He stretched his free arm out behind Katara, wrapping his forearm, encircling her waist, pulling her to his side. Due to the height difference, his toned arms covered her petite back diagonally, curling round her waist, pressing her side close to his; so close feel her smooth skin at her shoulders, and her hair tickling his bicep.

"W-what are you doing?" Katara exclaimed, shivering.

"I'm just sharing my fire breath with you," he said calmly, looking away from her, hiding his blush. "It's a good couple of miles to the mansion. You're gonna get a cold if something doesn't warm you up."

She opened her mouth to argue with him, but failed to come with a plausible argument. All she could do was keep her mouth shut and mutter a thank you. She tried to deny whatever effect his fire breath had on her body in attempt to move away from him, but she couldn't.

Her body was instantly warm and comfortable again, even though his arm was only holding her back and waist. She could feel his shoulder on the back of her head, and tried to convince herself that she wasn't comfortable, but failed again. Their bodies fit nicely together, neither of their legs in any rush to get back to the mansion. They didn't talk as they walked, since they didn't really feel the need to.

Katara suddenly felt the fatigue of working late at night catching up with her, causing her to drop her head to his shoulder, wondering when it was the last time she had felt so relaxed, so at ease.

Zuko looked at the top of her head through the corner of his eye, and couldn't help but think it was supposed to be like this. Minus the war, minus their duties, minus their worries, minus the bitter anxiety war had left them, this is what it should've been like.

Him and her, under the moonlight.

* * *

Daaamnnn this was long! I didn't even intend for it to be! :P

There may be many spelling and grammar errors towards the end...I'm still sick and its 2:27am, so please excuse them :)

Please leave a review, and I bid you good day!

- Yin


	6. Chapter 5

Hello, boys and girls! :) It's really late right now, and I know I shouldn't be writing buuutt...what the hell :)

Just wanted to say that this is a point in the fic where I start to write these little monologues at the start of every chapter, alternating between Katara and Zuko. It helps to understand the characters better, I think; I think it would be quite boring if it was just spoken out, you know? :)

Enjoy this chapter! And please please please review!

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 5**

_**Katara:**_

_Being who I am now, people tend to forget where I'm from, and who I really was a few years ago; putting it bluntly, I was a powerless child. To the people of my village, I was that tiny ray of hope that shouldn't really be there. I was the only waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. The only waterbender they had seen in decades. _

_But then reality struck, and something as fragile as a ray of hope is misted over, covered by the world's need to contradict you. Like most stories back then, it started with the Fire Nation; breaking into our tribe on a day as good as any other, terrorizing our people, our homes. Searching to destroy that ray of hope for good, leaving nothing in their path._

_And after they had left, it was complicated. They thought they had won, but technically, they hadn't. The waterbender was alive, growing stronger. But, in essence, they really had won; they had taken the waterbender's mother. They had taken the watebender's guardian, protector, teacher, savior, away from her. _

_But the waterbender grew stronger and stronger with rage everyday. _

_But years passed by, adventures were lived, friends were made, wars were ended. But the fighting never really ends; well, not for peace anyway. And when you are constantly fighting, whether it's in your heart, or on the battle field, it's always hard to forget these feelings. It's something that not even the Avatar can teach you about, something that will never be clear, regardless of how many years you have lived. _

_For Aang to say he knows my suffering is exagerated. Learning that everyone you love is dead, after they are dead, is one thing. It is painful and sudden, and you have no way to prepare yourself for it. You have nothing to relate to it, ever. It hurts so much for so long, but it then becomes your drive to balance out the world again._

_Hearing the sizzle of your mother's flesh burning, is different. Hearing the laugh of the man who burnt her alive, is different. Hearing your mother screaming out your name in such concentrated and desperate pain for you to run, is different. Hearing your father cry every night, is different. _

_Having your older brother dealing with it like a warrior at 12 years old by day, and climbing into your bed at night, sobbing quietly into your hair, is completely and utterly different. This is why I say, there are some things that not even the Avatar can understand._

_Every night, I wake up after this same nightmare. _

_Every night, for almost 7 years now. _

_And let me tell you this; it does not matter how powerful you become, how much money you have, how many lives you have saved or how many enemies you have forgiven. It does not matter how many nights you sleep at your desk to finish the paperwork that solidifies the peace treaties, or how many times you push away the people that still mean something to you. _

_That feeling of complete helplessness, that sizzling of your mother's flesh, the sobs of your brother at night; _

_It never leaves you._

* * *

Katara breathed under the moonlight, closing her eyes, feeling the crescent moon's glow seeping into her skin. After searching the whole field in the dead of night, she had found a large lake of water, and was grateful for it.

With a slow movement of her wrist, a long stream of water was in the air, following her hand as she guided it around her body. Her movements were savored and consistent, the water glowing as it circled around her body, refreshing her skin, clearing her airways.

She tried, with her might; she tried her hardest to stay completely calm, but anger just took over her. Every time she tried to stretch the water out in a fluid motion, she would be reminded of a mistake she had made, an emotion she had let become a apparent.

Katara tried to clear her mind of all of her thoughts, but this proved easier said than done; all she could think about was her and Zuko the other night, being way too close to each other. It's like she could still feel the loose yet stable grip on her waist, that made her feel more protected in those couple of minutes, than those months she had spent in Aang's arms.

She clenched her teeth violently, and the water spattered onto the floor, onto her body. She grunted in frustration, whipping the water off of her face. What was wrong with her? Why was she feeling like this? It was so, so wrong, and she knew it.

She was loosing control, too. Every intense emotion she felt was irreversibly having an effect on any kind of water source near her. She was supposed to be cool, calm and collected. Not like this; not like a hormonal teenager, feeling tired and hopeless with life because nothing ever happened like it should have done.

But she stopped in a mid-bend, her eyes contorted.

She _was _a teenager.

* * *

**_Zuko:_**

_Before I was about 14 or so, the only real pain I had experienced was my mother being banished. That uncontrolable fear that suddenly took over me when she said goodbye to me one night. I was half asleep then, and thought it was a game of some kind. __Only when I saw the solomn look on the guards faces the next day, did I realize how serious it all was._

_That feeling, being alone and without my mother, being suddenly told that she was dead; it hurt me so so much. So much I can barely describe it. It made me fight to want the same kind of love and attention from my father; but as everyone knows, he was a difficult man to impress._

_People ask me, if my burn hurt; I won't lie, it did. The seering pain, the uncontrollable hissing at night, the infection that inevitably followed, causing me to almost loose my left eye. It hurt. But it didn't hurt as much to knowing that that pain was inflicted against you by your own father. _

_But, no matter how much I tried to kid myself he loved me, I knew I was wrong; from the second the thought of burning his son's face crossed his mind, he was no longer my father. _

_My uncle was._

_He is the father I had been longing for my whole life. He is the father that I always looked up to. He was the void that filled up most of what my mother had left behind. He was the guidance of the moonlight in the darkest nights of my life. _

_He is my hero._

* * *

Zuko lay facing upwards in his bed, completely wide awake. He had tried to do what was best for himself and go to bed before 3:00am, but all he could think about were those documents just sitting there on his desk, piling higher and higher with every minute he lied there.

Sighing, he swung his legs out of his bed, his bare feet scraping the fluffy red carpet. After spending years on a metal Fire Navy ship, and travelling on the cold, hard ground, something as inviting and warm as a carpet would shock him sometimes. He had no doubt that Katara and the others all felt the same way.

He made his way down the hall to his office, figuring that if he were up, he may as well get some paperwork done. It was strange how different everything was now; everyone was so used to living in war, that they almost forgot how to live normally when everything became balanced again.

There were still days when he would wake up and not believe that he was the Fire Lord. A title that held such significant meaning over the passed 100 years; a meaning that would have to be changed entirely by him.

Then, inevitably, he thought of her. He thought of the scared 14 year old she must have been, finding the Avatar living adjacent to her very village. The fear that consumed her and her brother, the worry for everyone's well being back at her village but her own.

How far she had come since then; from the petrified, quivering child, to the blossoming, powerful women.

But he could throw around all the words he wanted; about how the Avatar was younger than both of them, about how they themselves are the future. But, in essence, they were children. They were children forced to undo the damage that their parents and their generation had done. Children, forced to take the world into their own hands, because the people who had created it were on the verge of destroying it.

He feared, then, at the idea of their children one day having to clean up the mess that they may or may not create one day. But somehow, the sleepless nights and endless paperwork just didn't seem to justify the fact that they had to give up everything that they were entitled to at birth.

Having to give up their right to a carefree childhood.

But once Zuko had gotten to his office, work was the last thing on his mind. Before he could enter and ridicule himself into completing the paperwork, he left. He didn't know where he was going, or where he wanted to go, but it didn't matter to him. He just walked.

It was strange, walking down the hallways of his childhood, literally. He could still remember where his and Azula's old rooms were, but hadn't gone in them sine he was crowned Fire Lord. The last thing he needed was to be reminded of his old self, adding to the list of many reasons as to why he shouldn't have taken his place on the throne.

Don't get him wrong; he wanted to serve his nation and help it prosper and thrive more then anyone. But the previous Fire Lord's never held a good reputation, and it's not like he had a halo slung over his head, either. So far, he was ashamed of about 70% of his life, and there were only a handful of things he could look back on and be proud of.

He sighed, running his hands through his hair like he always did when he was stressed, wincing at the knots his fingers tugged at. Even though it wasn't the most attractive look, things were much easier when he was bald.

He heard grunting coming from far ahead of him, and froze, taking in his environment. He had actually made it outside without even realizing it, which didn't surprise him, since he was the type would daydream for a living if he could.

Even as he walked over to the angry grunts, he knew within paces away that it was Katara. Still, he approached cautiously, since he didn't want to get a limb sliced off. Getting nearer and nearer to the large, large lake, he didn't hear any water splashing, which concerned him in the strangest way.

Peering his head in front of a tree, not wanting to let himself be seen just yet, he watched. His eyes almost screamed themselves, at the sight of her. Her back was to him, and so he could see her long curly hair spiral right down to the curve of her back, her arms raised in a swan-like position.

Her wrists pointed outwards slightly, her fingers stretched out. He knew her electric blue eyes were stone cold and closed, as she lifted the entire acres worth of water out of the lake, far, far beyond her head.

She lifted it higher and higher, and he wondered how she was able to control such a large amount of water. But at that second, a thought must have angered her calmness, for her hands squeezed tightly and rapidly into a small, clenched fist, and the water dispersed into the air, completely out of sight. He could feel the water, now in gas form, mist his face slightly, though he could not feel it.

Katara grunted loudly again, furious with herself. Every time she gained control of her emotions, they would spiral away from her again, taking the water around her along with it. She sighed, wondering when she had become like this; so angry all of the time at herself, so bitter.

She dropped her arms to her side, staring at the now empty lake. What was she so angry about? She wanted to know so badly, so that she could put an end to this and be in control of herself again. At that moment, she felt like a naive 14 year old again.

She sighed, defeated. Something she thought she would never be, not in all her life. She raised her hand and flicked her wrist, making the excess water in the air to change back to its original shape and take its place back inside the lake.

She scratched the back of her head, not knowing what to do next. She knew that she should probably get some sleep, but due to her now alert body, that was out of the question. She listened quietly to the cool night breeze, wondering what she would do if she was back at the Water Tribe right now.

But she heard a sudden thud and rustle behind her, and she whirled around, water already encasing her entire right arm.

"Who's there?" she demanded firmly.

"Ow!" was all she heard from the shrubs, and she raised an eyebrow. "It's only me, Katara!"

Katara sighed, relaxing her body, bending the water back into the lake again. "What are you doing, Zuko?"

"I was...looking for something," he lied badly, crawling out of the shrubs, standing up and brushing the leaves off of his arms.

"What were you looking for?" She asked causally, scratching her arm, looking up at the moon.

"Erm...my clip!" he said a little too loudly. "You know, the one that holds up my hair in the day!"

Katara gave him a confused look. "Why would that be all the way out here?"

"I, err, lost it when I came here to practice some firebending," he lied again.

Katara nodded. "So, you too, huh?"

"Y-yeah," he said, scratching the back of his head. "It's peaceful out here. You know, away from all the work."

"Couldn't agree more." She said, playing with her hair.

There was a slight awkward pause, as both of them waited for the other to say something. It had been a few days since their after-dinner-walk, since neither of them had a proper conversation since then. This was probably due to the fact that they both knew it was wrong and shouldn't have happened, despite how they really felt.

"Sh-show me some firebending," Katara asked hesitantly, wondering why she wanted to break the ice so badly. "I'm sure you've come up with some new moves."

"Err...sure," Zuko agreed eventually. "Spar gently with me and I'll show you, hopefully you can even help me improve them. But they're still in the making; I haven't even named them yet."

Katara shrugged her shoulders, walking over to him. "But before we start..?"

"Yeah?" Zuko asked quickly, defensively.

She pointed at his hair. "You've...got some leaves in your hair."

Zuko cheeks pinkened, and he ran his hands furiously through his hair. "Oh, th-thanks."

Katara giggled at him, the a leaf standing completely upright on his now tousled ebony hair. "You still haven't got it," she laughed. She reached up and gently brushed the leaves out of his hair, her eyes aglow in the black of night. Zuko coughed, looking away, knowing his face became redder.

Katara paused for a second, looking at his golden eyes as they gleamed at her, the moonlight bouncing off of them. Though he was only a young man, his face was chisled and defined, unlike Aang's round and childish face. His lips were rather fuller than expected of a boys, and he licked them nervously at that moment.

She quickly removed her hand that was buried in his hair and walked a few paces away from him. She turned to him, and they both readied their stances, and a gust of wind blew at them both, almost whispering for them to begin.

And so, Zuko swiped both of his hands in the air, two blades of fire crossing over each other in an 'X' shape, hurtling towards Katara. It lit up the night around them, providing light to places she hadn't even noticed before. She was so captivated, she almost forgot to whip water out of the lake and thrash the fire slices to the side easily, distinguishing them.

But Zuko had already raised his arms forward and bolted his hands back and forth, pointing his two fingers. From this, bursts of lightening came from his fingertips, crackling through the air. He then engulfed them all in their own balls of ember, thrusting it faster to Katara.

She had to admit, she was impressed; using the fire slices as a diversion to ready his next attack. But what really impressed her was his previous; the fire encasing the lightening bolts protected it from any other attacks, whilst helping it to move faster to its opponant. This meant that it would deliver the full blow as to when it reached its target, even though it didn't have a source (being a firebender) to fuel it all the way.

This also meant that a waterbender would be rendered helpless; sure, throwing water on it would distinguish the ball of fire, but the lightening inside would surely electrocute her. She thought quickly, the lightening encased in fire hurtling towards her.

She then bended a large amount of water from the lake and split it into two, freezing it, so that she had two equal boulder-like shapes. She then bended it beside the fire balls and crushed them together; extinguishing the fire and cutting off the lightening from oxygen, making it fizzle away into the air.

She then used the two frozen boulders to hurtle towards Zuko, merging them into one, and then changing the substance back into liquid form. She used a rather open attack purposely to try to give Zuko a better front for demonstrating his moves, and it proved effective.

Zuko clapped his hands together quickly, sending out a huge fire, evaporating the water into the air. But Katara reacted almost immediately, changing the mist back into the water and ramming into both of Zuko's sides, rather weakly on her part, since she didn't want to harm him.

Zuko dodged by leaping into the air, flipping and thrusting fire towards her direction. She countered it by shielding herself with a thick sheet ice. As it melted from the fire, she used it to engulf her feet, sending her whole body towards him. But Zuko sliced the air again, incorporating lightning into it, to which she flipped and sent ice shard at.

This continued for a while, until it seemed almost playful. After about another half an hour or so, there were no more piercing shards or ice or bolts of lightening flying between the two. Instead, there were splashes of lukewarm water and warm mists blown into each other's faces, as the two laughed, lamely dodging the other's 'attacks'.

Impressive flips were swapped for limp rolls on the ground, to which they spluttered with laughter about, watching each other. Katara splashed some water from the lake to Zuko's face, laughing loudly at his reaction. To which he stood up above her, and blasted warm air onto her face and body, laughing as her body contorted to the warmth.

But he lost the balance in his body foolishly and fell onto her squealing one, to which they both uttered a simultaneous,'oof!', before they fell about laughing at one another like children, clutching their stomachs, which was hard to do since Zuko was still lying on top her.

She laughed into his ear, close to his neck; him on the other hand, laughing into her cheek. But they tried to be the adults they were expected to be and pull themselves together; which only resulted in both of them bursting out in laughter at once.

Zuko rolled off of her, his cheeks aching. He lied closely next to her, her petite shoulder now covering his broad. "Sorry!" He giggled, clutching his defined stomach. "I kinda lost it there."

Katara wiped the tears off of her temples, still grinning, turning to him. "Yeah, that forward roll was pretty horrific!"

They both burst out laughing again next to each other, basking in each other's company unintentionally. They didn't know if it was because it was the middle of the night, or the tension rose as the One Year Ball was coming up, or simply because of the fact that they had been working for so long now; all they knew was, for the first time in so long, they had felt like children again.

For the first time in a whole year, they were themselves.

* * *

"Wait; you're travelling to Ba Sing Se alone?" a member of the Fire Nation Government asked, skeptical.

The meeting had lasted over 3 hours now, and all of the Fire Nation higher officials felt the full effect of it. Fatigue and the inability to concentrate started to wear down on them, but this didn't help them digest the news that their Fire Lord would be travelling unaccompanied to the location of the whereabouts of the rebel base.

"I won't be alone," Zuko said calmly, straightening his back. "Lady Katara will be accompanying me to Ba Sing Se, and from there we'll meet with Avatar Aang, Master Be Fong and Lady Katara's brother; Master Sokka from the Water Tribe. We will hardly be lacking safety or numbers."

"But that does not change the fact that you are a group of children travelling to the city concealing the rebel base; you are their main target. The rebels want the Fire Nation to be at the top of the food chain again, and the Fire Lord himself happens to come by and visit the city? Walking into Ba Sing Se is like walking into a death trap!" One of the officials said.

"Well, if we are such helpless children, then how come we are ruling a nation? Or have constructed and command an entire special elite army force?" Zuko countered. "If anyone should go to Ba Sing Se and face any rebels of any kind, it should be us."

"But you can write the King a letter," Another official pleaded. "No journey is compulsory!"

"Explaining to the King as to why we cannot kill the organization that threatens his kingdom cannot be simply put into a letter," Zuko reasoned. "We are denying him our assistance regardless of the peace treaty; he needs to hear this in person. Lady Katara is perfectly capable of travelling alone just fine, but I wouldn't be comfortable sending a friend out to dangerous territories. As we all know, safety lies in numbers."

"Sure, 'friend'," Iroh muttered a little too loudly under his breath, slouching in his seat.

Zuko furrowed his brows, incoherent to what his Uncle had just said. "I'm sorry, did you say something, Uncle?"

"Mm-mm," Iroh said innocently, shaking his head as he stretched. The whole table turned to him for his final overview, their respect for the elderly man seeping out through their body language as they waited for his verdict.

"My nephew has made a noble choice," he said after a pause. Zuko sighed in relief. "Our relationship with the Earth Kingdom is crucial, since we trade with them so frequently; seeing the Earth King personally will only strengthen our bond with them."

"But what about their safety?" An official questioned. "They are just children, after all."

Iroh stood up, ready to leave. "You should have thought of that before you appointed them to save the world we destroyed."

"M-meeting adjourned," Zuko said quickly, trying to mask the stiffness in his Uncle's tone of voice.

The officials left quickly, leaving Zuko and his Uncle in the Meeting Hall alone. Zuko sighed heavily as the last official left, pulling his hair free of his tight bun. He turned to his Uncle, smiling at him, his golden eyes aglow with gratitude.

"Thank you for sticking up for me, Uncle," he said gratefully. "I promise to bring you back some more Jasmine Tea."

"You better!" Iroh cried, patting his nephews shoulder.

Zuko smiled at him, about to leave the room.

"And just so you know, Lady Katara's birthday is in a couple of weeks," Iroh said cheekily.

"Really?" Zuko asked, amazed. "She didn't even say anything!"

"Chances are, she forgot herself," Iroh pointed out wisely, rubbing his beard. "With all this work you kids have to do, I wouldn't be surprised."

"Wow...she's turning 17," Zuko uttered, running a hand through his thick locks of hair. "I can't believe how quickly everything's gone; how far we have come."

"I know," Iroh agreed. He punched his nephew's arm lightly, grinning. "She can marry in just over a year."

Zuko's blushed lightly, scowling at his Uncle, but he continued anyway. "And you're of age, and so technically looking for a bride. A new Fire Lady-"

"Goodbye, Uncle!" Zuko interrupted loudly, storming out of the Meeting Hall, his Uncle's laugh ringing in his ear as he left.

It was wrong, her and him; just plain wrong. They just aren't supposed to be together, no matter how much his heart ached for hers. And since their relationship was so causal and informal now, the last thing he wanted to do was ruin it all by doing something as stupid as tell her how he felt. Besides, maybe if he waited long enough, the feelings would just disappear.

He had only realized he was marching quickly when he arrived near the kitchen, where a hubbub of chefs, waiters and maids filled the long corridor. He peered his head as they all stood around the kitchen door, waiting avidly. None of them spotted him, since he was at the end of the hallway, and didn't want to distress anyone any further by approaching.

He then saw Katara come out from the kitchen door, wiping sweat off of her forehead. She spoke to the crowed of staff, and they all listened quietly to her, their faces furrowing in worry that he did not know the cause for.

But Katara's senses were sharp from war and sensed his body hovering at the end of the hallway. "Zuko!" she called out, walking briskly to him, leaving the small mob of staff to comfort each other.

Her hair was in her traditional half-up half-down Water Tribe style, her now navy blue (instead of baby blue) attire wet at the ends from what he could tell was water and some diluted blood, her electric blue eyes captivating his golden ones, absorbing every ounce of attention he had.

"I'm sorry I missed the meeting," she said calmly. "One of the junior waitresses spilled boiling water over her arm."

Zuko winced, his worry now apparent. "Will she be alright?"

Katara took in a deep breath, looking over to the kitchen. "She's pretty badly burned. All the skin of from the back of her left hand to her elbow has completely come off. The rest of the skin around the wound is severely blistered. I think that the person heating the water was a firebender, resulting in the terrible burn."

"How old is she?" Zuko asked anxiously.

Katara looked away from him. "She's 15 next month."

There was a pause of slight horror on his part, but Katara's eyes darted to him. "She does have any relatives working here, and she's pretty traumatized. All of the staff are worried about her, so when they try to comfort her she just gets even more afraid and harder to heal. Could you-"

"You don't have to ask." Zuko said quickly, cutting her off.

They both walked to the kitchen, the hubbub of people splitting for them both to enter. It was huge and clean and silver, the sobbing of the young girl making it easier to trace her. She sat on the floor leaning against a shining silver cabinet, her simple, innocent face blotchy with tears. A large bowl of diluted bloody water lay next to her, indicating Katara had already started healing.

"What's her name?" Zuko uttered as they approached her.

"Maya," Katara said quietly, kneeling down to her.

The girl looked to Katara, gasping in pain. "L-Lady Katara, I'm so sorry for your trouble, I didn't-"

"Hey, I thought I said to stuff it with the apologies," Katara said, smiling at the young girl. I'm just going to get some more water from this tap; hang on for a few minutes, okay?"

The girl nodded, her face creasing in agony. Katara moved above her to the sink, picking up the water and spreading it down the drain, filling it up with pure water again. Zuko knelt beside the girl's legs, taking hold of her good hand.

"Hey, Maya," he said softly, smiling at the girl.

Her eyes opened fiercely, and widened as she processed who was in front of her. "F-Fire Lord Zuko!"

"That's my name!" he said jokingly, though no-one laughed.

"I-I'm so sorry!" she cried, wincing. "I didn't mean to make such a mess! Or to cause so much trouble! I didn't-"

"Hey, calm down," he said gently, stroking her hand with his thumb. "I know what a burn feels like more than anyone; nothing else matters right now than to get you healed."

The girl nodded, closing her eyes again, her voice quivering as she cried quietly in pain. Zuko peered his head over to her other side, near Katara's legs, and had to physically restrain himself from gasping at the sight.

The flesh on the back of her hand, all the way up to her elbow had completely vanished, leaving the flesh gaping and raw and crimson, the pinks and reds of the muscle screaming out into the mundane coloured room. The skin around it was burnt and black, then lining it were huge, swelling blistered, coloured a deep pink colour as it throbbed against her arm.

Katara had filled up the large bowl in an instant, leaving it in the sink above them with the tap running so that it would never run out as she healed. Her face was poised and controlled, her brows furrowed as she engulfed Maya's arm in water, making the glowing blue colour reflect off of the silver surfaces of the cabinets.

Maya winced aloud a little, turning her head to Zuko and away from Katara and her ragged arm. Katara roamed her water covered hands over the bleeding, gaping wound, not uttering a word due to the intense concentration.

"Here," Zuko said, removing his robe. He folded it and placed it underneath Maya, knowing she had been sitting there for over 3 hours now. "It's not like I'm using it."

"But, Fire Lord!" she exclaimed. "This robe is a royal trademark of the Fire Nation!"

"And a great ass cushion," he grinned. "Call me Zuko."

Maya scoffed with laughter, whilst panting in pain as Katara healed her arm. He wondered if she would develop a scar like his all over her arm, and immediately felt like he didn't have it as bad as she did. Although, she had Katara, a luxury that he was deprived of when he was burned himself.

A luxury he knew he was never meant to have anyway.

* * *

Sorry it took so long for me to update; I have an exam and am forced to revise everday for at least 3 hours! Crap or what? Because of this, the next update will only be up probably around this time next week, since my exam is on Monday and I have to write it up and blah blah!

I hope you enjoyed this chappy! And I'm sorry if this chapter was a little uneventful; but it was really just a bride onto the next:

Katara's Birthday, and following that, The One Year Ball.

*gasp* Oh, the drama!

Please review, I'd love to know what you all think! Correction - I LIVE to want to know what you think!

Have a beautiful day, my lovelies!

- Yin

P.S., sorry for typos, it's 2:21am right now :)


	7. Chapter 6

I know this is later than normal...but I had an exam and blah. Just got back from it, actually, and I'm already starting this chapter; how good am I! :D There's thunder outside right now, which is great, because it sets the mood for this chapter!

But it's also sunny..? Yeah, England has weird ass weather.

Please review and tell me what you think of this chapter!

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 6**

_She was young; too young. _

_"Go and get your father, Katara," her mother said calmly, smiling at her daughter, ignoring the sweat drenching her brow from fear. "I can handle things here." _

_She never realized how small their house was until that Fire Nation General stood in the middle of it. He took up nearly all of the room, him and his guards, their pots and pans, her and Sokka's clothes, their rolled up beds and remainder of rice thrown about the room. _

_It was stupid, because at the time, she did not think about how this would be the last few minutes she had with her mother. __All she could think ab out was how Gran Gran would yell at them for all of this mess if she hadn't known who was the cause the for it. _

_The General, now knowing his name was Yon Rah, looked back at her. She had never felt so cold as his murky golden eyes hit her. And she lived in the South Pole, two of the coldest places on Earth, and yet she shivered under his gaze. She had completely forgotten to comprehend how her mother had felt._

_She promised herself at that moment, she would never trust golden eyes again._

_"B-but Mum," she stuttered quietly, her eyes never leaving the man. _

_She didn't know who he was or why he was there, but she proved that day that children needn't know nothing of war to know what it brings to those who suffer from it. All she wanted was to bury them all in snow, whip them away with water, to extinguish the ember in the man's hand, wipe the sweat off of her mother's brow. _

_Her mother smiled sympathetically at the small girl, which was stupid, because she wasn't the one about to die. _

_"Go on, sweetie," she said in that voice she would use when she would read her and Sokka stories at night. "I'll be there in minute." _

_"Listen to your mother, girl," the man spat at her, his scowl cutting through any courage left within her. _

_She didn't think from then on, not until a long, long time later. She just ran; as fast as she could, hurtling through the snow, bending whatever she could back then to push her out to her father sooner. She didn't do anything but cry and cry, her father somehow understanding her incoherent sobs. _

_"KYA!" her father screamed, and she saw his pearly blue eyes moistening for the first time in her life. _

_They were considerably far from the tent, but she heard it anyway; her mother's gut wrenching scream, piercing through the hearts of everyone in that village at the time, including a few of the Fire Nation soldiers. She heard her cry out her name, bellowing with every last drop of energy within her for her daughter to run. _

_She heard that sizzle and hiss as her mother's skin was singed off of her bones, what was left of her flesh drooping off and hitting the floor of their tent. _

_She heard the frantic drumbeats of the Water Tribe warriors as they ran to her, her father hysterical and screaming and crying and running. She heard the shuffle of her brother's feet moving to her, picking her up to drag her away in attempt to stop her from hearing anymore. _

_She heard herself scream so hard that no one, not even the the Fire Nation soldiers, stopped Sokka as he dragged his sister away from their village. _

_She heard her own heart break into a million pieces, one piece for every spec of snow on the ground._

_She heard-_

* * *

Katara screamed, high and panicked, so that it echoed through the walls of her bedroom. She was sitting up, drenched in sweat, her pants hard and quivering, not able to mask the sounds of her mother's scream still ringing in her ears.

Her face then crumpled and her lip wobbled, and out of habit, she slammed both of her hands to her mouth, muffling her loud sobs. She hunched over, her back jolting as she screamed, sobbed, cried fiercely into her hands all at once, her body and mind failing her altogether.

It had been scorching that night; the hottest weather that the Fire Nation had had in 150 years. Because of this, she was only in her undergarments, and swapped her thick blue quilt for a thin, red sheet. But despite this, she was freezing. She was as cold as she was that day, when Yon Rah had looked at her with those misted over golden eyes of his.

She squeezed her eyes shut, seeing those vengeful golden eyes again every time she blinked. Tears were already soaking her cheeks in thick streaks, running over her the backs of her hands that were still clamped over her hands as she sobbed. They dripped off of her hands, raining down on the satin red sheet that still covered the lower half of her body.

The adrenaline wracked her from her intense fear, causing her body to shiver constantly. And all of a sudden, her mother's face was as clear as day in her mind, smiling at her like she had done nothing wrong. Smiling at her like it wasn't her fault at all.

Katara pressed her hands harder to her open mouth, doing her best to conceal the sobs that were now twice as loud. She hadn't had a dream this vivid in a long, long time, and it caught her completely off guard, even though she had it up at all times. Her breath was shaking uncontrollably as she ferociously scratched the tears off of her face in a vicious manner, not caring if she was hurting herself anymore-

"KATATRA!" Zuko burst through the door, shouting frantically.

Because it was so hot, he wore no top, revealing his toned, muscular physique. He did, however, wear a pair of daytime shorts, indicating that he was still up working, even at this hour. His hair was tousled, and he was panting, probably because he had just run from his office all the way to her room.

"I heard you scream! Are you alright?" he cried worriedly, golden eyes aglow in the darkness.

Katara stiffened, trying to suppress her hiccuping sobs; nobody had seen her cry in such a long time, and she didn't know how to react. She had made it such a point to show complete calmness and control this past year, that she didn't what to do if people had actually seen past her defense, purely because she never intended anyone to.

It was difficult to try and control herself within a few seconds, so that she could remain calm and poised to talk with Zuko as if nothing were wrong. But she couldn't; her mother's screamed still throbbed in her ears, golden eyes frightening her frozen heart, her mother's red, red blood staining the rug on the floor they threw out just hours after her torture.

Because of this, controlling herself was completely unrealistic; her breath was still loud and quivering in the air between her and Zuko, her eyes alight with fear and trauma, her body still shaking violently against her bed.

"I-I'm..." she quivered. She tried to say something, but her mouth couldn't form words. All she could think off was the screaming, the squelch of snow under the running footsteps, the blood splattered all over the pristine, white snow-

Zuko's eyes surveyed her; she was glistening in sweat under the moonlight of her window, clutching the sheets around her. Her eyes could only be described as blue fire, and they burned in the darkness of night, and he could see now that adrenaline had to be coursing through her body.

Her cheeks were blotchy with tears, and they were scratched up red and raw. She was breathing heavily, he noted, as he watched her body alive with energy and fear. His eyes were unsure at the state of her; so unnerved, so...out of control of herself for once.

"Are you...are you crying?" he asked quietly.

What she should have done was scowl and scream at him and tell him to get the hell out of her room. What she should have done was bend her sweat up into a whip and slam the door in his face. What she should have done was curse loudly and bitterly, so that he wouldn't see her in the state that she was in.

_"Go on, sweetie," _she heard her mother's voice say in her ears. _"I'll be there in a minute." _

That tone, that sweetness, that utter calmness she had tried to replicate this past year and a half, all her life, for that matter; it only sent her into a spiral of anger and despair again, and she wondered how long this cycle last as she slammed her hands to her mouth once more, shutting her eyes so tightly her head shook.

"K-Katara," he breathed, watching her, stepping back out of pure shock.

He had never seen her this way, not in all the years he had known her; her body convulsing in terror, her breath fighting to keep up with her screams and sobs, her nails digging into the sides of her cheeks as she tried so desperately to control herself, to control how she felt, to control the sounds that had haunted her for so long thrumming in her veins, to control just _one thing_ in this damn world she was born into-

She felt strong, strong arms wrap around her entire body, but could not see since her eyes were welded shut by her undying fear. The same arms pulled her to the side of her bed, dragging her poorly clothed body quite quickly across the sheets and into a firm, rigid bare chest.

Zuko knelt down at the side of her bed, hugging her body to his tightly. She was now up and kneeling on the bed herself, their height difference cancelling out so that her head had no choice but to bury itself in his shoulder. She dared not remove her hands from her mouth, in an effort to contain all of the anguish she carried with her every day to spill out of her.

Because of this, her only choice was to let him hold her, but she deduced this as even better; this way, his shoulder muffled her cries much better than her hands did, meaning that there were now two barriers present in order to stop her fear from spilling out of her in the form of her cries.

Zuko's eyes worried even further as he held her in his arms, since this was never the way he had imagined it would be. He had to admit, she fit perfectly against him; but she twitched and shook as she cried uncontrollably into him, causing him to tighten his arms around her even further without him even realizing it.

One of his arms were tightly wound around her waist, pressing their bodies to each other; his other covered her in a diagonal angle, covering most of her petite back with his strong forearms. He trailed his hands gently from her shoulder downwards a little, and paused at the texture.

He felt small, pearly bumps scattered closely all over skin, her arms, her neck. He opened his eyes momentarily to get a closer look, and they widened at the sight; the sweat that had formed on her skin had frozen instantly, causing her skin to resemble the texture of smooth, tiny, ice blue pebbles.

He then thought about the water that would unintentionally go wild along with her whenever she grew angry, and realized that it was a similar dilemma; how the water would react to her anger, convulsing and growing restless, it would also react to her fear; freezing instantly.

He only then realized how cold she really was in his arms; the more she sweated, the more water froze on the surface of her skin, the colder her body temperature became. Because of this, he channeled his fire breath gently in his body; evidently, warming up hers.

She drew in a sharp breath, mid-sob, feeling how warm Zuko's, and consequently her own, body became. She unintentionally moved even closer into him, and she could feel steam erupt from around her body in small bursts; he was burning her frozen sweat off of her skin.

Zuko didn't say anything, and neither did she. Eventually, she did stopped sobbing, crying, screaming, shaking, all four actually. Eventually, she removed her hands from her mouth, so that they lay on his chest, hesitantly absorbing the warmth he desperately offered her.

And once these small changes had happened, they realized it was just him holding her for no apparent reason anymore. But nevertheless, they stayed in that position, and soon grew aware of close they were to each other; close enough so that Zuko could smell her hair, so that Katara could breathe in his low, musky scent.

And because of all of these small realizations, Zuko came to grow aware to the fact that they were hardly wearing any clothing at all; his arm around her waist and hip grazed along the edge of her underwear, and he could feel that the only thing separating their chests that were pressed together was Katara's bra.

His cheeks immediately glowed a rosy colour, and he jerked his body back, not wanting to let her think for a second that he would ever even dream of disrespecting her in that way. He still held her, though, stabling her body when he ceased to support it so suddenly. She was a little closer than arms length away from him, so he could see her face.

He forced himself to bury his own eyes into hers, not wanting her to think he was looking down at her poorly dressed body, though he found it, admittedly, quite difficult. But after staring into his eyes for a long few seconds, she turned her head away, breaking their connection.

What was she thinking, letting him hold her like that? Even he came to understand how stupid and wrong it was; why else would he pull away from her so suddenly? She was an idiot; and a weak one at that. It didn't matter how many years it had been, how good a Master at waterbending she had become; she was still just a frightened, weak little girl.

It ashamed her.

"A-Are you alright?" Zuko asked, his voice a little louder than a whisper.

She felt too guilty to look at him, to speak.

Zuko's eyes softened. "You should get some sleep." he offered tentatively.

Katara shook her head a little too vigorously. "I can't sleep now," she said flatly, quietly. "I never do, after I..."

Zuko watched her, but she still didn't say anything. "I'll sleep here, with you." he wasn't really thinking when he spoke. All that was going through his mind was the fact that she was alone, and he didn't want her to be.

She knew then that her body was now delusional from fatigue, because she started to refuse for all of the wrong reasons; for all of the reasons that should have been secondary to the fact that they were both young diplomats with hardly any clothing on and the world on their shoulders.

"You'll just leave in the morning without me even knowing," she said bitterly. "And then I'll be afraid again, and then what?"

Zuko paused. "I wasn't planning on leaving," he said softly.

Her eyes snapped to him, searching for insincerity. "You...you promise?"

Zuko nodded, completely serious, even though this was often a conversation between children.

Katara glanced over to her bed, taking in the situation. But before she could list out all of the reasons as to why none of this should have happened, her shoulders sagged, and her eyes grew heavy from tiredness and the heat in the scorching air enveloping them; she was honestly too tired to push anyone away tonight.

"I want to sleep on the right side," she said after a long pause.

Zuko let out a small sigh of relief, and then smiled at her, flashing his perfect set of teeth. "That's great; the right side freaks me out anyways."

They both climbed into the middle of the bed again, and Katara shot him a confused look. "Why the right side?"

"I dunno," he said casually, pulling the sheet up over them both, positioning himself comfortably next to her. "It's like, all my life, I always loose my right sock."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "That's...freaky."

"Exactly!" Zuko cried.

Katara grinned, stifling a laughter. And she stiffened slightly, when she found that Zuko's arms wound around her waist and hips again, closing any considerable space between them as he pulled her to his chest. She blushed slightly, feeling his firm chest collide with hers, feeling his defined six-pack brush against her stomach as he relaxed, his lips inches away from her forehead.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" he asked suddenly.

"Why?" Katara furrowed her brows, trying to think of any and every event that may take place tomorrow, and failed. "What happens tomorrow?"

She could practically feel his smile since it was so close to her forehead. "It's your birthday tomorrow."

"What?" she cried, snapping her head up to his, forcing their eyes to meet. "I'm 17 _tomorrow_?"

"You bet!" he said softly, grinning as he looked down at her.

"Wow..." she breathed, resuming her position of her forehead close to his lips. "I can't believe it's been so long."

"Yeah, I know," Zuko agreed quietly, playing with her curly, ebony hair. He glanced over to the calendar on her wall. "I don't know why you don't have it on your calender! I mean, you have appointments for meetings on there, but not your own birthday?"

She shrugged, but he continued anyway. "I mean, you have every meeting there that we have had this month...but what are those big red crosses? They're on, like, five of your days at the beginning of this month. I don't remember meetings on those dates. Did you have a meeting at the Four Nation's base?"

Katara grinned widely. "Zuko..."

"What do you even have to discuss about for five days, anyway?" he rambled.

"Zuko..."

"Are you planning a mission you're not telling me or something? 'Cause I'm the Fire Lord, and I hate to pry, but I kinda gotta know about stuff like-"

She laughed at him loudly. "They're for when I get my period, you dumbass!"

Zuko's cheeks grew pink again. "O-Oh."

Katara laughed into his neck, leaning her head on his chin, careful to miss his lips. She had had the same nightmare for almost 7 years now, and nobody has ever made her laugh directly afterwards like Zuko just did; it made her forget about her mother's screaming, her father's crying. It made her forget about the rusty colour the snow turned after it had mixed with the blood a few days after the raid.

They both relaxed into each other, never having been so ready to sleep in such a long time; his arms were comfortably tight around her, making her feel safer in those few minutes than Aang did in those several months that she was with him.

Their legs became tangled soon enough, though Katara kept on fidgeting at the material of Zuko's shorts; it wasn't even soft. It was scratchy and raw against her bare legs, making her feel hot and uncomfortable, dangling a good night's sleep in front of her but denying her of it altogether.

She grunted frustratingly, waking Zuko up since he was already half asleep. He opened his eyes lazily, and then closed them again, pulling her closer to him in a poor attempt to shut her up so that he could fall asleep.

She thrashed slightly against him, before snapping her head up to him. "Take your pants off!"

This immediately made the Fire Lord jump, his eyes wide, his cheeks pink. "Excuse me?" he cried.

"Take them off, Zuko!" Katara ordered, moving against him, flicking her legs about underneath the thin sheet. "This material is horrible! If you keep those shorts on you will be depriving me of a good sleep on the eve of my birthday, and there wouldn't be any point of you being here!"

He opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "Don't be such a baby, Zuko!" she cried. "We're both pretty much adults here!"

Zuko stammered at her request, and he knew that his face was flushing a deep rose colour, that was even more prominent due to his pale skin. He very reluctantly, and slowly, removed his shorts, so that he was only clad his boxers.

Katara snatched the wretched garment from his hands and threw them across the room, before resuming her spot with her head near his neck, falling asleep almost instantly. Zuko, on the other hand, was stripped of his drowsiness (and his shorts) altogether.

Instead, to pass the time, he watched Katara as she slept against him, noting how even in her sleep, she did not look peaceful at all. He stared at her furrowed, perfect brows, her full, parted lips, her just-lighter-than-coffee skin radiating against the moonlight through the window.

Whilst doing this, he tried to ignore how soft her legs were against his bare ones, or the warmth of her breath against his neck, or the way her fingertips were still connected to the skin that covered his lower abdomen, or the curve of her waist to her hips as his arms wrapped around her.

He tried to forget these things not only because he wasn't wearing shorts, but also because he knew these were things that he shouldn't get used to; things that were off limits, out of bounds for their relationship. He had to forget these things, because it would only saden him more, living his whole life knowing none of it would ever be his perminantly, or at least, until death parted them.

* * *

Katara stirred in the morning, not yet opening her eyes. She cursed quietly under her breath, wondering why she never closed the curtains to stop the sun from waking her up every morning. She was then suddenly aware of the warmth in front of her, holding onto her body.

She snapped her eyes open and they widened instantly; she did her best not to squeal, though her cheeks were already pink. At some point in the night, she must have moved, she _must _have; no other explanation could be given as to why her and Zuko's noses were touching, their faces only a few center meters apart from each other.

She knew that he was handsome; hell, everyone knew that. But she didn't actually appreciate until now how _beautiful _he was. His skin was practically glowing; the contrast between his black hair and pale skin mixing better than she thought it would, perfectly, in fact. His eyebrows were rather perfect for a boy's, which annoyed her, since she was forced by 'stylists' to keep her own in proper condition through the pain of threading.

His eyelashes were so long, so thick and dark, gracefully kissing his defined cheekbones as they were closed. His nose was without a flaw, perfectly arched, perfectly shaped. His lips, though, were quite full, compared to any other lips she had seen on a boy; and they weren't a pale, mundane colour; they were stained a rosy pink, and she knew that she was staring at them too long.

His jaw was chiseled, and for lack of a better word, strong; it was covered in stubble from not having shaved last night, but she reluctantly accepted that it charmed her enough to find the rest of him attractive too, though it was hardly difficult. He had that masculinity and maturity about him that she found hard to resist, since it was never something that Aang had presented her with when she was with him.

His scar though, was something that she had completely forgotten; this may be due to the fact that half of it was covered by his pillow, but it was still strikingly apparent on his face when pointed out; the charred, perminantly pink skin covering his left eye. But it was a part of him, and for her, was never a mark of shame; it was a mark of his selflessness, and the drive to restore the Fire Nation to its true potential without letting anyone suffer for it.

And simply because it was a part of him, it was beautiful, too.

She knew that she should just look with her eyes, but she couldn't help herself; she had already broken so many rules the previous night, anyway. And he was still asleep, completely oblivious to her staring, and so she didn't stop herself reaching up and brushing the hair out of his face, and then slowly trail the back of her finger down his temple.

He sighed in his sleep, shifting his body closer to her, causing her blush to intensify. His body inadvertently moved against hers in drowsiness, the grip he had on her waist and hips slightly firmer, slightly...protective.

The word confused her, even insulted her a little; she was classified as one of the best waterbenders to ever exist in history, the best healer in the entire world, commander of an entire specialized army force, and he thinks she can't take care of herself?

"Relax," Zuko grumbled lazily. "I'm just making sure you won't kick me again. I know you can take care of yourself."

She was stunned, her cheeks on fire, wondering how long he had been awake for, rather than how predictable she had become. "How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I can practically feel you scowling at me," he grinned, and Katara tried to protect herself against his drowsy charm.

"I don't kick!" she muttered under breath, trying to change the subject.

"The hell you don't!" Zuko retaliated. "I woke up last night because you were practically abusing me whilst you were sleeping!"

"Oh yeah? And where are the bruises, 'Oh Mighty Fire Lord'?" she provoked.

"They're on my legs, I'm too tired to show you," Zuko grumbled, his eyes still closed.

Katara was then only aware at the fact that they had close to no clothes on; she could feel his arms rubbing against the back of her bra, the waistband of her underwear brushing against his lower abdomen. She was sure that she could not get any redder than she was then, as she slid her arms back in front of her chest, realizing now how innocent it all was at night, when she could barely see anything; as opposed to now, with both of their poorly clad bodies clinging to each other for warmth under the early sunlight peeking in through the window.

"And you snore!" Zuko added cheekily, still grinning with his eyes closed. "I thought that Appa was in here for a second last night!"

Katara punched his arm lightly, giggling. "Well, you dribble!" she cried. "I gotta be honest with you Zuko, I've never had to bend saliva off of a pillow before!"

The two chuckled against each other, and Zuko forced himself to fault the perfection at that moment; how imperfect the sound of her laugh was in the morning, how imperfect her hair was, draping over the arm he had around her; how their bodies 'imperfectly' molded into one another.

They didn't even notice the door squeak open, and were only warned of the presence of Ria, Katara's personal maid, until she had dropped the empty laundry basket onto the floor with a clatter, even though the floor was carpeted. She was only in her early 30's, though had very traditional opinions, which was not a problem until now.

Zuko and Katara's heads both snapped in unison to the maid, who's mouth was agape at the sight of the two in bed, with barely any clothes on, and Zuko's shorts thrown halfway across the room.

"RIA!" Katara cried, laying a firm hand on Zuko's bare chest, pushing him away from her quickly. "It's not what you think!"

"Lady Katara!" Ria cried, her jaw practically hitting the floor. "You are not even wed!"

Zuko and Katara's cheeks were bright red, both of them embarrassed beyond belief. Katara pulled the sheet up high to her neck, trying to cover her barely clothed body. This only resulted in Zuko's upper body being thrown into display for the main, to which he tried to tug the sheet back from Katara, leading them to wrestle over possession of it in order to shield their bodies.

"NO!" Zuko cried. "It's not...we didn't..."

"I thought better of you, Fire Lord Zuko!" Ria scolded, picking up her laundry basket hastily. "I thought you of all people would not climb into a girl's bed without even being her fiance! Or even a lover, for that matter!"

Their cheeks burned at her words. "No!" Katara pleaded. "I-I just had a bad dream! It was hot last night! I was scared! Zuko-! He only-"

"I know this looks bad Ria, but it's not what you think!" Zuko cried desperately. "Lady Katara was...was..." he racked his mind viciously for an appropriate adjective, all the vocabulary he had learnt all of his life failing him. "She was lonely!"

Ria looked at Katara, appalled.

Katara's jaw dropped at Zuko. "_NO!_" Zuko cried again, his cheeks on fire. "I didn't mean like _that_!"

They both jolted out of the bed out of restlessness and fear of what Ria would think if they continued to be in such close proximity to each other; they were both blushing heavily, and Katara took the chance to snatch the thin sheet and cover herself with it, wrapping it under her arms and around her body. They opened their mouths to protest against Ria's thoughts, but she silenced them.

"Save it! Both of you!" she commanded like a scolding mother. "I can't believe you two would do such things before marrying! And for diplomats of your standard, I expected much, much better from you!"

Zuko snatched a pillow from Katara's bed and covered his exposed body with it, scowling at her for stealing the sheet, and then looking over to Ria hesitantly. He opened his mouth to speak, but she wouldn't hear of it.

Ria turned on her heel to Katara. "Lady Katara! I thought that you were a sensible young lady that new the penalties of such actions! You are the last girl that I would expect this from!"

"But _Ria_-" Katara tried, though she continued, ignoring her, turning swiftly to Zuko, pointing a finger at him, narrowing her eyes.

"And _you_, Fire Lord Zuko!" Ria cried firmly. "I thought that you, being older than Lady Katara would have stopped such blasphemous behavior! To have a girl in her own chambers at such a young age is ridiculous, even if it for 'birthdays' sake! I trust that both of you have taken the herbal contraceptives from the nurse, have you not?"

Zuko and Katara looked away from each other, their entire faces aglow with a deep, deep blush. All they wanted to do at that moment was bury their faces in the ground from the sheer embarrassment of it all; they turned away from each other, not even able to look each other in the eyes.

"We don't _need_ to take herbal contraceptives because we didn't _do_ anything!" Katara cried, her cheeks now completely red. "I had a nightmare last night and Fire Lord Zuko came in to see if I was okay, and stayed with me while I slept because I couldn't sleep afterwards, and it was hot, and uncomfortable, and we're _friends_, and we didn't-"

"We did _not_ have birthday sex!" Zuko cried loudly, desperately, earning a glare from Katara. "I would never disrespect her in that way! I-I just wanted to comfort her because...she was...she was scared! And...it was really, really hot! And...we did _not_ have birthday sex!"

Katara whipped some water out of the air and whacked his arm with it. "Would you quit _saying_ that!" she seethed. "You're only making it worse!"

"But it's true!" Zuko cried, rubbing his now sore arm. He then lost his grip on the pillow and caught it just before it revealed his boxers, his anger fuming along with his cheeks. "And it would be much more believable if you weren't blushing like that!"

Katara fumed, growing even redder. "_Me_ blushing? You're the one who looks like a freakin' tomato!"

He growled at her, not remembering when he was this frustrated. He tried to ignore the fact that he was as red as his boxers, or that she was as red as the thin sheet wrapped around her, which made her look dangerously seductive as it fell in the creases of her curved figure-

He shook his head viciously, sure that he could fry an egg on his cheeks from how hot they were right then. "The point is,_ nothing happened_!"

"And even though_ nothing happened_, we would appreciate it if you wouldn't tell anyone about our little..._predicament_, Ria." Katara explained calmly.

Ria's eyes darted between the two for a moment, before finally rolling her eyes, placing a hand on her hip. "Well, you two are pretty stupid when it comes to not ruling a nation or commanding an army."

"Hey!" the two cried in unison, to which they both glared at each other for.

"Just...don't let it happen again," Ria said, turning to close the door behind her. "And inform me not to come in early if you two decide to have a...sleepover."

She turned and closed the door firmly behind her, leaving the two teens stunned and feeling awkward. They reluctantly made eye contact with each other, biting their lips, cringing as Ria's assumption played over and over again in their heads.

But they held each other's gaze for a moment, and then they both grinned at each other; the next thing they knew, they were laughing hysterically with each other, wiping tears away from their eyes as they remembered the look on Ria's face when she had first saw them 'in bed' together.

After they had regained their composure a little, they held each other's gaze, a wide smirk still evident on both pairs of lips. Despite the situation, Zuko still saw perfection at that moment; with Katara's body draped in the red satin sheet, her unruly, curly black hair falling over her shoulder, falling over the side of her face. He wanted to walk out across the room and tuck it behind her ear, but he didn't have the right to do that, and had to drum it into his mind that he never would.

"E-Erm, you...better go," Katara said softly, smiling. "Wouldn't want Ria to walk in and have another heart attack!"

"...Sure, " he said shakily, looking away, his cheeks growing a little pink again. "But, erm...can I have my shorts back?"

"O-oh, yeah!" Katara cried hastily, turning away and grabbing his shorts, hiding her flustered cheeks.

Zuko looked away as she bent over to pick up his shorts behind her, not wanting his eyes to inadvertantly see too much of her. She threw the shorts over to him and he caught through reflex with one hand. Katara turned half away, giving him some privacy as he pulled his shorts on, though stole a peek as he fastened the zip and button, her cheeks glowing at his toned physique, her embarrassment way too apparent for her liking.

"Erm...thanks for..." she gestured to the now messy bed, mustering a smile. "I really appreciate it."

Zuko nodded, returning her smile, still feeling slightly vulnerable with no shirt on, forcing himself to fold his arms over his broad chest. "It's no problem."

They both nodded at each other, and Zuko made his way to the door, turning back to her just before he left. "H-Happy birthday, Katara."

She smiled then, a real smile; as in, not out of laughter or the humor of the moment, but right down from her heart. From the place she had cut everyone off from, including herself. From that place inside of her where her soul used to be, and she reluctantly swore that just by looking at him in her doorway, his golden eyes warm, his cheeks still a little pink, that she felt small pieces of herself she had lost, start to come back.

She then decided that not all golden eyes are bad.

"Thanks." She said quietly, quite honestly, and he left.

* * *

Katara stared at her documents, re-reading the the letter sent from the Earth King; he was requesting to accommodate Zuko and her in one of the city's newly built houses, built in the richer side of town. She knew that this was mostly to strengthen the bonds between the nations, but it was also make sure that they were not attacked or abducted by any rebels that may rule the areas.

She sighed, wondering what to do. Her and Zuko completely alone in a much smaller house together sounded inappropriate to her. They were already in dangerous waters so to speak, and she didn't want it to be strained between either of them, or give her existing feelings for him any chance to grow whatsoever.

She played with the ink in her palette beside her, swirling it around, thinking about how the right choice was never the easiest one.

She heard a knock at her door, merry and positive. She didn't have to guess as to who it was.

"It's open, General Iroh," she called.

Iroh walked in, his every day smile bestowed on his face as usual. Instead of wearing his military uniform everyday, he had now switched to wearing his royal robes, which were much more kind to his ageing body. His face was as pleasant as always, seeking to cause no trouble; but appearances can be deceiving.

Katara smiled at him sincerely, since he was the only one in the entire mansion she had never had to lie to.

"What can I help you with, Iroh?" she asked rather sweetly, since she had a soft spot for the old man.

Iroh smiled back at her, his murky brown eyes gleaming at the girl proudly; she really had grown from the diligent child Master Pakku had told him about. She was now a confident blossom in the spring, powerful and collected. Though she matured a little too quickly, it was just graceful and elegant to watch; which is just what his nephew needed.

He knew from the very start; she would make a fine Fire Lady as well as a niece-in-law. If there was such a thing; much, _much_ better than that 'Mai' girl.

"My dear child, I have a request for you," he said kindly to her.

"Fire away!" Katara grinned, leaning back in her chair, relaxing a little.

"I feel that my nephew is a little too shy, no, too stupid to ask himself, so I wanted to cut to the chase, since the ball is in two weeks," Iroh started happily. "I would like you to attend the One Year Anniversary Ball with Fire Lord Zuko."

"Obviously I'm going to be at the ball," Katara commented, not quite understanding.

"No, my child," Iroh laughed, clarifying a little. "I want you attend _with _my nephew. Call it a friendly 'escort' if you will; though you children would probably call these things 'dates'."

Katara's cheeks grew a little pink. "O-oh."

"It is not to show that you are in a relationship of any kind regarding romance," Iroh continued to explain light-heartedly. "You see, when two people representing nations arrive to formal gatherings together, it does not showcase the relationship between the people, but the nations; with everyone on high alert due the rebels in Ba Sing Se, I think the world needs to be shown a little stability within the nations' diplomats."

"And what better way to unite the world than with two polar opposites such as fire and water," Katara breathed, slightly horrified, finishing Iroh's sentence.

He beamed. "Exactly!"

Katara hesitated, digesting Iroh's words; she remembered her and Zuko's dilemma with Ria this morning, and wondered if it was taking too much of a risk; like the house they could potentially share when they would travel to Ba Sing Se. But she could not ignore the fact that Iroh was right; the Avatar could only bring the world so much peace and calmness.

If the world were to wait for another hero, they would be waiting forever.

"I'll think about it," Katara replied honestly, leaning her elbows against the desks. By the time she had looked up, Iroh was already in the doorway, ready to leave. He turned back to meet her reluctant, icy eyes with his delighted, murky brown ones.

"I'm sure that you will make the right decision," Iroh promised. "You have the same selflessness your former Master has."

Katara smile was small, but present all of the same. "Send Master Pakku my kindest regards."

Iroh nodded, leaving Katara to sort her thoughts out. Before he had even had time to close the door, Zuko was already there, staring at his Uncle curiously; his hair was down from his uptight bun, his robe off, revealing him in his traditional maroon sleevless shirt and trousers. Though, his waist was defined by the belt of his overall tunic; the same tunic he used to wear a year ago.

"What are you doing here, Uncle?" he asked Iroh, raising a brow, knowing the subtle yet mischievous personality his Uncle possessed.

"You're not the only one allowed to talk with Lady Katara!" he laughed jokingly. He patted his nephew's shoulder before pushing him into Katara's office with random strength, and closing the door firmly after him as he left.

Zuko looked back at the door, squinting his eyes. "He's up to something."

Katara was already a few paces in front of him, scoffing. "Don't be silly! You're Uncle is the sweetest person I know!"

"Sure he is," Zuko muttered, but he turned to Katara, straightening his back. "I need to ask you something."

Katara smirked. "Like Uncle like Nephew, I guess."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Why? What did _he_ ask you?"

"It doesn't matter!" Katara brushed off, waving her hand. "What's the problem?"

Zuko scratched the back of his neck, nervous. "Well...I'm just going to come right out and say it!"

Katara raised a perfect eyebrow. "Yes?"

Zuko didn't reply.

"Well, what is it?" she asked, growing impatient. But then her eyes widened, understanding. "Oh! You're thinking about us attending the ball together as well, right?"

Zuko snapped his head to her, wondering where she had learnt to read minds. "Y-Yes! How did you know I would ask you that?"

"Your Uncle just came to talk to me about it," she said, leaning against the wall. "At first I thought it was a little inappropriate, but now I think it's kind of necessary; you know, to prove to the world that the nations all work hard to be to united. Nothing is more symbolic for peace than fire and water, right?"

"Y-Yeah! Totally!" he lied badly, hiding the fact that he wanted to attend the ball with Katara for 100% non-political reasons.

"Especially since the Fire Nation has had some especially bad history with the Water Tribes," she continued. "Avatar or not, the nations have to show that they have forgiven each other and learnt to move on; I guess it's kind of our responsibility to show that, now."

"Yes! Exactly!" Zuko said; though he wasn't going to attend the ball with Katara as his date, he accepted just attending with her at all. Besides, it gave him a reason to have her on his arm all night, which was something he was unlikely to pass up on.

She sighed, looking out of the window worriedly. "Though...I wonder what Aang would think..."

Zuko's eyes watched her, slightly unsettled by how she cared more about what the young Avatar would think becoming recessive to what was best for the world; something that was completely opposite a year and a half ago. He tried to change the subject, though, not wanting to let her mind inadvertently associate being with him, to feeling guilty for Aang; but little did he know that this had been the case since day one.

"And, erm, I also came here to give you something," shuffling in the waist of his tunic pockets. "You know, since it's your birthday and all."

Katara raised her eyebrows, touched at how casually he spoke. "Zuko, you didn't need to get me anything! Hell, I didn't even know it was my birthday until you told me last night!"

"Oh, shut up and give into a little luxury, Katara," he said softly, pulling out a navy velvet, medium box. "Live a little; it's your birthday."

Katara looked up at him, walking over so that she was a little in front of him. She realized how tall he was then, as he towered over her. Her eyes could only see his broad chest if she looked directly forward, forcing her to lift her head and meet his soft gaze as she hesitantly accepted the box.

She peered at it from all angles, studying it; it was heavier than she suspected, and it was more tall than it was long. She was smirking a little, not having been this excited about presents since she was a little girl. "What is it?"

Zuko's smile broadened. "Just open it!"

She did as she was told for once, glancing at him before hesitantly lifting open the lid; she almost dropped it at what she saw. In the box, lay almost an exact replicate of her mother's upper arm bracelet she had talked about with him at dinner a few weeks ago. Instead of being only lined with blue gems, which were the only jewel found in the Southern Water Tribe, it also had dotted on, a few sparkling diamonds; and though it was the exact shape and size, it was not made of the flimsy plastic her mother's bracelet was made out of.

It was heavy, sturdy; titanium.

The pattern on it was exactly same; swirling gems, but now also diamonds, glistening in the sunlight from the window. It brought back so many feelings, so many memories she had left behind. So many things that had shaped her into the young woman she was today; the things she had forced herself to give up, having chosen the world over herself.

"I know it's not _exactly _the same, but I figured that if you were to wear it in battle, it should be able to hold up and support you," Zuko said casually, rambling a little. "And I just thought I should add some diamonds on it since it will remind you of all of the new memories and achievements, as well as the old ones like the gems represent; which was pretty hard, because I had to use that quick ice sculpture you made at dinner for reference, and since I have the memory of a turtle duck, I might not have gotten the pattern exactly right, so I apologize."

Katara didn't answer; she wasn't even listening. Her eyes moistened for the second time the last 12 hours, her lips parted wildly, wobbling as she remembered, admired. She thought of how she would play with her mother's one when she was a small child, how she would admire it as her mother wore it as a symbol of strength and courage, how her mother always said that she would pass it down to her when she was to leave this earth, though it had melted along with her when they were raided, and not to mention it was _beautiful- _

"...And you know, since everyone always called you, 'Blue Titanium', I thought that there wasn't a better material I could use! I know that it must be hard not carrying around a token of your mother with you everyday, so I thought this would sort of make up for-"

Katara had lost complete inhibition as to what was appropriate at that moment; she had forgotten her status and expected attitude. She had forgotten her burdens and remembered the memories she had thought she had lost a long time ago.

She forgot _and _remembered, as she slammed her body full force into Zuko's; he very nearly toppled over, having to take a few steps back so that he could support both of their body weights. Her petite arms were wound in almost a death grip around his neck, and she was standing on the highest points of her toes so that she could pull his body as close to hers as possible.

Zuko stuttered quietly, as he could hear her sniffing repeatedly close to his ear, his cheeks now a rouge colour. He could feel her body pressed against his, her arms winding around his neck and pulling his head down so that it had no choice but to rest on his shoulder. The scent of her filled his nostrils, light and refreshing, with only a drop of sweetness.

His reaction to her was completely inadvertent; such as his arms binding themselves around her body, his fingers tangling themselves in her thick, curly hair that lay on her lower back, leaning the side of his ear against hers as she clung onto him from such intense gratitude.

Her words were slightly muffled, slightly shaken. "Th-Thank you, Zuko! Thank you so, so, much! You have no idea what this means to me! I-I..."

She could barely speak, barely say anything; she looked at the bracelet still sturdily strapped to the box behind his head, overwhelmed by her thanks, by this strange sort of relief that made her let go of an internal sigh that she didn't even know she had been holding for so long; long before she came to live in the Fire Nation, long before the peace treaties, long before she had left the Southern Water Tribe with Aang.

What she did next was completely out of impulse; she was hazy and confused, at least, that's what she wanted to blame it on. She leaned back a little, their cheeks brushing against each others, burning as they went. She had only looked into his eyes for a moment, but it felt so much longer than that.

She didn't see him completely, though; her senses thrown off by her idiotic crying, she cursed inwardly. She pressed her lips so gently onto his skin that Zuko had to think about whether they were really there or not. But what she thought was his cheek was not.

His head was turned to her slightly from worry as she had previously cried, causing her to kiss the corner of his mouth, dangerously close to his lips, rather than his cheek. His senses burned as she clung to him for a long, long second, because even though she had realized she was so close with her lips to his, she still didn't move.

Her lips were soft; so, so soft. They were full and thick, and he could feel the warmth that radiated off of them, the salty tears that had found its way to them staining his skin as she kissed the corner of his lips so lightly, it was almost like a whisper, a breeze; like a drop of pure water against liquor.

She pulled back slightly, both of them in a daze; some of the reasons for which were not the same, some of them were. She didn't pull back entirely all at once; she was only an inch away from him, and her eyes, he swore, were glowing then, though he wasn't sure what for.

She stared at him for what felt like the longest moment of her life; his golden eyes intoxicating her to the point where she was unable to look away; unable to look at anything but those eyes of his.

But reality struck, as it always did, and the guilt hit her in a powerful, painful swell. She snapped her head away so quickly, snagging at the hair that was caught in his fingers around her waits. She then immediately took a large stride backwards, stunning him since at one second, he had warmth and serenity and her lips to his skin, and the next, completely cold and peace less again.

"S-Sorry," she stammered quickly, not daring to look at him in the eye, filled with so much regret, that it ached. "I-I...I didn't mean to..."

He was saddened by both of them, then. At himself, for realizing just how much he ached for her, and her; seeing how much she was actually punishing herself, realizing how long it was all tormenting her for. He wondered how long it would last, and then the thought of it never ending struck him as the guilt struck her simultaneously.

"No, it's okay, you didn't..." he tried, but he stopped, knowing that it wouldn't help anyone. "I have work to get back to."

She nodded stiffly, quickly almost; wondering if he wanted to forget as much as she did. "Me, too."

He nodded, reaching the door briskly, not turning to her. "You're...you're welcome."

The door closed, and she just stood there, the bracelet box still in hand, silent.

She wondered how long it would take for these feelings to go away.

* * *

I really enjoyed writing this chapter; the two idiots took some big steps today, don't you think! :)

And hint for the next chapter; the ball. In which all the GAANG will be joining!

_Please_ tell me what you think by leaving a review; that is all I ask of you, my dearests! :D

- Yin


	8. Chapter 7

Hey guys! :) How are you this fine evening? I'm sorry if you find that it's taking so long for the ball to actually occur; patience is a virtue, my friends :) I promise that it will be in the next chapter; but this chapter is pretty significant, so I can't really skip it; sorry! :)

And I don't know about you, but I feel a little bit shit...don't know why...must be having a bad day? Anywho, I know that writing this next chappy and reading your lovely reviews will cheer me up! I especially love the long reviews; sooo much fun to read!

Have a bitchin' day!

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Katara had learnt over the years, that it's surprising how much can go un-noticed if nothing is said or acknowledged; like when she visited the Southern Water Tribe directly after the war, to inform her family she would be leaving perminantly. They understood, cried a little, but didn't want to argue or reason with her, simply because she just wasn't the same anymore.

They hadn't talked about the prospect of her ever returning since.

Or like when she had broken her relationship with Aang so suddenly, explaining that she just couldn't kid herself into living a normal, ignorant life anymore. The pain, longing and resentment for how she had changed was present in his misty grey eyes, but he could not do anything more than hold her solemnly when she cried for his forgiveness.

That was the last time she cried in front of anyone, and the last time they had seen each other face to face, excusing the odd letter here and there just out of respect and her need to mother him even though she was no longer at his side; and out of all this time, he never asked if his love for her had become mutual yet.

And she planned to do the exact same thing with Zuko; ignore anything and everything about him that would involve her feeling anything more than companionship towards him. It was wrong and was never an option. The cons were too high, the pros non-existent. She knew he would silently comply, since no-one had tried to really argue or defy her in a very, very long time.

As she sat in the Meeting Hall, waiting for him, she drummed this into her mind again and again, until she had it memorized. She was not a stupid child anymore, naively thinking that love made the world turn around.

She knew that she could not have both; she could not encourage the world to prosper and protect its people with a betrothal necklace hugging her neck, or bearing a child in her arms. She had to choose between living in ignorance or living for everyone else's sake.

But she had already made that choice a long, long time ago.

Zuko entered hesitantly, watching as she sat on one of the long table in the hall, scrolls scattered around her messily. Her eyes reminded him of lightening; so static and loud, silencing anything in the room, drawing attention without intending to.

She was particularly beautiful that day, though he blamed this on the fact that he was falling deeper for her everyday anyway; she wore her navy tunic and baggy trousers, her boots up to her knees, steadying her petite body. Her curly hair was up in a ponytail for once, reminding him of the night they had visited Maki a while back. Her face was simple and pure, so pristine, so controlled.

So unlike the girl he had once tied to a tree and stolen a necklace from.

Her perfect brows were constantly furrowed in concentration as she stared at what looked like advanced medical scrolls, a medium palette of water lay beside her, rippling as she breathed, mimicking her intensity as she absent-mindedly controlled it.

She wore the same upper arm bracelets; two on the left, though the one on the right had now been exchanged for the one he had gotten her, sparkling as she moved to roll the scroll up; this increased his confidence by only a small fraction.

"You wanted to see me?" He asked, closing the large door behind him.

Her eyes snapped to him, and he felt vulnerable under her gaze, though he did not show it. "Yes; I need to talk to you about the rebels."

He walked over to her, standing at her side, looking over shoulder at the medical scrolls even though he had no idea in hell what they could possibly mean. He could smell her sweet, fresh scent, and edged away from her a little. "Why aren't the Officials joining us?"

"Because they aren't the ones leaving for Ba Sing Se in two months," she explained, not looking at him. "I need to inform you of the rebels' tactics in weaponry and assault force. I know that we won't probably won't encounter any, but it is something to discuss with the Earth King about; hell, that's why we're going."

"And the ball is in two days," she added. "I won't have much time to explain this to you afterwards,"

"Is this intel you got from when you went to heal the people in the Earth Kingdom village after the war?" he asked, remembering her conversation with Aang he had eavesdropped on over a year ago.

She nodded curtly, still not looking at him, refusing to aknowledge that it was through reluctance to stare into his eyes.

"I wasn't there for long, but I've been keeping in touch with Yagoda of the Northern Water Tribe since she is a master healer. She's the one who taught me the basics; we've tried to figure out how this poison works by using the villagers' symptoms and any information they would remember or would have overheard. We didn't have mich to go on though, since they all died a week after my arrival.

Zuko's eyes hardened, not wanting to ask about the population of the village. "What have you learnt?"

Katara then looked straight at him, her eyes alarmed and alive. "The poison they had used; it wasn't something that was a run of the mill weapon or just thrown together randomly. It was carefully engineered in minute detail, and there is no cure."

He paused a little. "How does it work?" he asked, his voice as stern as her eyes.

She took a deep breath, facing him now. "It's a deep, deep purple colour, and the villagers overheard that it was called Arkhurn. It's not something that kills you instantly; it progresses over time, usually around 3-5 days. In this time, the body will start to pigment the violet colour; like the whites of the eyes, or the undertone of the skin. It even stains your teeth. When we had to amputate some of the limbs of the villagers when they were infected, the bones were also purple."

"So did amputation slow down the process?" he asked.

She exhaled sharply. "No. It won't change mortality rates at all; once you are stabbed, gashed at, even just scratched by it, that's pretty much it for you. By then, it will be in your bloodstream and will spread until you are weak and coughing blood. The rebels soak all of their weapons in it before hand, just in case they don't kill you on sight. At least they know that the Arkurn will kill you within the next week if they even so much as cut you."

She looked down at the diagram of the human body on the scroll, and continued. "But there's something strange about it; the more movement or physical exhaustion, the faster the Arkhurn will take affect. So, if you were cut, and then tried to run away, you will die much faster than if you were to stay put."

Zuko swallowed, watching her intently. He saw the discomfort in her face all of a sudden. "What is it?"

It took a long pause before she could answer again, and she didn't look at him. "The benders in the village were the best shot at defense at the time, but even they could not help getting scratched."

He waited for her to continue, holding his breath.

She swallowed. "Like I said; physical exhaustion would cause the Arkhurn to react faster in the body. But the benders all died within _hours _some even in _minutes_. The more they bent, and the more advanced the move were, the sooner they would die. The most powerful bender in that village, who was an earthbending girl, was the first to die, because she would use such complex moves."

"You don't think..?" he breathed, but her eyes told him otherwise.

"They are trying to target the benders in particular, since the Four Nations is constructed solely of benders."

"But why?" he asked. "Why are they even rebelling? Surely they would want peace and unity for the world?"

Katara folded her arms. "The people in the rebel groups are people that benefited from the war, so most of them are people from the Fire Nation or citizens of the Earth Kingdom Colonies. They may have been weapons dealers to have gained profit from Ozai's destruction, or companies that sponsored the Fire Nation when it was raiding other nations; they want to be superior again. They want to mean more than everyone else in the world."

"So that's why the Officials are so edgy about us travelling to Ba Sing Se," he breathed. "I am the man, along with you, and the Avatar and Toph and Sokka that brought an end to inequality."

"We are the ones standing in their way, the ones that promote balance to the world," she finished. "If they want to be rich and on top of the food chain again, then we are their primary targets. Killing the symbols of hope and unity will make it much easier to put the Fire Nation in power again."

"No wonder Uncle wants us to attend the ball together," he said quietly, though loud enough so she could hear.

Her eyes hardened at him, confused; what the hell was he doing? Why would he bring up her and him like that? He was supposed to remain quiet and forget, remain quiet and not fight for them, remain quiet and let her break the ties between them like she had done with everyone else.

"The ball is a significant threat to the rebels," she said sternly, ignoring him. "It symbolizes a year of peace. A year of living like everyone else."

"Maybe we should be extra safe when going to Ba Sing Se," he summarized. "We're sort of playing straight into their hands, entering the nation that conceals their base at a time that is perfect to attack."

Katara scowled. "I don't need anyone babysitting me."

"I'm not saying that," he tried to correct nervously. "I'm just saying maybe we should bring some extra guards, or not wonder the streets late at night."

"They would be stupid if they were to try to kidnap me at night," she countered. "Why would you attack a waterbender when they are at their most powerful?"

"Well, that's when they are kidnapping civilians and brain washing them," he argued back.

"Oh, they're not just doing that," Katara said bitterly. "The civilians that were brainwashed are all benders; they have been injected with a dilute version of Arkhurn so that they can be disposed of when they are done attacking a few people for the rebels; they are basically killing themselves by being forced to bend, making the Arkhurn react faster."

Zuko's face twisted. "So once you are kidnapped..?"

"The chances of you making it out alive are non-existent." Katara said curtly. "Unless you can somehow manage to take down the entire rebel base as well as its army and escape with not even a scratch on your body. Dying within the first hour is much more likely."

"And there's no cure for the Arkhurn?" he asked, even though he knew the answer, feeling more frightened than he had intended.

Katara bit her lip, glancing over to the palette of water. She inhaled sharply. "There is no antidote that can be taken instantly, but I think I have come up with a healing method to drain the Arkhurn from the body if infected. It's not even 100% effective; there may still be traces of Arkhurn in the body even afterwards."

"But this will keep you alive for a little longer, right?" he questioned.

She nodded faintly. "Since I can drain most of it, the Arkhurn will be of a very small quantity, and will have to spread through the body all over again. That's why treatment for it is fairly long term, since the body has to be constantly cleansed until every trace is removed."

"Do any other healers know of this technique?"

She looked away, hiding her shame, leaving Zuko to wonder why.

"No; me and Yagoda engineered it, but I am the only one who can perform it. But it requires an extremely large amount of water, and takes a long time to initiate, so its nothing I can do in combat, since I would not have anywhere near the amount of water supply. That is, if we are inside."

"But can't you bend water from the air?"

"There's nowhere near enough; only a fraction of the air is made up of water. If I were to drain all of the water from this huge room even now, we would not have the right conditions for our cells or body to respire properly. Like I said, I still need to work out the bugs of the treatment. It's difficult to do, too."

"How so?"

She ushered him closer to her silently with her hands. "I'll show you," she said.

They edged closer to the large palette of water. Katara pulled out a thick piece of cloth and soaked it in her small ink palette, the deep black colour representing the Arkhurn. She then dropped it in the water and moved it around the cloth, her fingers tensing as she swiftly pulled the ink back out of the cloth, slowly, making the water grow dark and murky.

"I need to drain it from the body, so essentially, from the bloodstream; this means that I have to break the Arkhurn down with the water and pull it through the walls of the vessels, veins or even muscle and fat. It's risky, since if I keep the Arkhurn particles too big, it can break through the walls of muscle or vessels, or I could leave traces of it in the body if I kept the particles too small. This is why I would never be able to do this whilst fighting."

Zuko folded his arms across his broad chest. "But, there is a chance of survival, given that you have the right resources?"

"Essentially." Katara agreed reluctantly. "Though, you shouldn't really rely on me to save your ass; if you don't want to die, don't get hit."

Zuko smirked. "I'd love to see you tell your patients that."

Katara tried her hardest not to smile. "I do!" But then her eyes steadied, and she was looking at him differently now. She stopped bending the water, letting it calm in the now murky blue palette of water, the cloth floating there, completely clean. Her eyes slowly found him, and she bit her lip.

"I also wanted to talk to you about those firebending moves you were showing me a few weeks ago." she uttered.

Zuko's eyebrows raised. "What about them?"

"I want to develop that one move you created; with the ball of lightening."

Zuko scowled at her, unwilling to work with her. "It's dangerous, Katara. It's a move I created as a last result in life threatening combat. I never intend to use it unless I absolutly have to; you're lucky that I even showed it to you that night."

"But I think it has quite reliable medical potential" she said sternly. "I think that if I taught you to channel the lightning in the right places, and use the correct frequency and intensity, you may be able to re-start a heart once it has gone into cardiac arrest or in shock if ever in combat."

Zuko's eyes widened. "You...you think I can save somebody with it?"

Katara narrowed her eyes at him. "If it is close after death, and done perfectly, with the right resources and circumstances-"

"What are you saying, Katara?" he asked quietly.

Her eyes were so rigid, then. "I think you may be able to bring someone back once they have died."

"I am no healer!" Zuko cried, horrified. "I'm not gentle enough, and I have no knowledge about the human body whatsoever! Not to mention have I absolutely no medical experience and no patience at all!"

"But you have control," Katara countered. "Zuko, this is something that could save someone's life, even once it has been lost. And I'll be there to assist you every time. I'm not saying you're going to get it right away, it's still a theory; but the chances of someone important to the balance of the world, like you, me, or Aang being assaulted are extremely likely right now."

Zuko was quiet for a while, staring at her, his golden eyes alive and dancing, frantic. He watched her nervously, reluctantly, not wanting to comply even though he had every reason to. The thought burned in his mind, the thought of striking someone with lightening that he may or may not have control over; it made him uneasy.

Her eyes bored into him, burning him. Her voice was so soft, so caring. So similar the girl she once was, years ago. "We cannot die, Zuko. Not just Aang; any of us. We have to guide the world to peace and equality again; teach it how to live in harmony. Dying is not an option; especially now."

"I don't know, Katara," Zuko wavered honestly. "I don't know if I have the strength to work perfectly on the dead body of a close friend."

She was so stern as she spoke to him, so cold, through her own experience. Her eyes glistened with the memories, the countless cries that tormented her at night, of all of the people that have laid in front of her, bloodied and screaming, crying for her help.

She spoke from experience, and that's what upset her most. Her body felt strangely cold at that moment, and she took this as a sign to turn her head away so that gold and blue were broken and separate, apart and individual.

"There's just something that just..._clicks_," she whispered. Her eyes somehow found his, no matter how hard she tried to part them. "You do not think; you do not plan. It just...happens."

He was still so hesitant; so reluctant. "But I don't know how," he murmured.

"I'll teach you after we get back from Ba Sing Se," she said reassuringly. "It'll take a long time, but I believe you can do it."

"But where abouts?" he asked, looking down at his own chest, feeling foreign to his own body.

She almost laughed at his inexperience and child-like fear; it reminded her of herself when she had first learnt to heal from Yagoda when her, Aang and Sokka were at the Northern Tribe. She had graduated within days at the top her class, though this did not prepare her for the real world; for real wounds, for real cries, for real adrenaline that would course through her body when her friends would lay bloodied in front of her.

"This is where you should release bursts of lightening," she said. She pointed to the middle of his chest vaguely, and then with her other hand, pointed a little lower, and a little more to the left.

"Either side of the heart; it's not perfectly to the left like everyone thinks. It's a little lower; your lightening should be concentrated in medium to high intensity, depending on how long the patient has been dead for. You want to shock it back into restarting; though the success rates aren't very high, even if you do master the skill."

Her arms dropped away from him slowly, and she smiled a small, almost non-existant smile at his frightened face. "Don't worry, Zuko," she ushered. "You'll have plenty of time to learn after we return. I'm sure that with some resilience, you'll learn the technique soon enough."

"So...you'll sort of be my Sifu?" he questioned jokingly.

Katara couldn't help but grin. "You bet."

He chuckled lightly. "I never thought I'd end up calling you Sifu Katara."

"I never thought I'd end up living in the Fire Nation, end my relationship with the Avatar or command an entire special forces army," she said quietly. She walked to the door, pausing, not looking at him. "Things change; people change."

The door closed quietly behind her, and Zuko stared at the murky palette of water.

* * *

**Katara;**

_I still remember the first day of actually putting all of that healing I had learnt into action; I was almost 15, and me, Aang and Sokka had only been at the Northern Tribe for a couple of weeks. In this time, I had mastered healing in every aspect, though this may have been due to the fact that I had an early start from my previous travels with the boys. _

_Before, healing was just something that I had learnt through practice. And in essence, so was the healing I had learnt from Yagoda; it was on dummies or animals, but never actually real. I would diagnose, decipher and then address the correct method of healing and apply it to the patient._

_It was so strategic and mechanic; so easy at the time. I felt so confident and good about myself because I found it so simple; I felt like I could take anything thrown at me. Cardiac arrest, blood poisoning, third degree burns over the entire body; you name it, and I would have it healed and bandaged on that dummy within seconds. I never realized how naively ignorant I was until a few days after I had mastered waterbending with Master Pakku. _

_I was called from my final training class, which infuriated me since I wanted to show Master Pakku a new technique I had learnt. Despite my anger, I was rushed to Yagoda's tent immediately, not even given time to be informed of the situation at hand. _

_I guessed it was just something I had to assist her with whilst she taught the other girls in the class; that's why I was so confused when I didn't hear the giggles and chatter of the them when I approached the tent. It was quiet, too quiet. Only when I walked inside did I hear the quivering pants of my first patient._

_She lay on Yagoda's table, what I guessed, was a 28 year old women; she was a hunter, out with her group, hunting for seals to make seal jerky, when a pack of wolves had attacked them out of nowhere. The rest were already dead; leaving her to scream until someone with enough courage had dragged her back to the village._

_All I remember, was red; red everywhere. A large bite was taken out between on her right hip and waist; her left foot and ankle gnawed at viciously, what was left of the flesh hanging from it, drooping, reminding me of my mother's flesh when she died. _

_Her wounds gaped at me; so much darker and redder than what I had been trained with as blood. It taunted me, speaking only through the women's pants and quivers. Her tribal clothes were completely soaked with her blood and flesh. It stained Yagoda's table, dripping on to the floor. _

_I was stunned, shell-shocked, frozen; whichever you feel would be most appropriate. I didn't know what to do, everything I had learnt in the past two weeks seeped out of my brain almost instantly at the sight of her. I was shaking, completely petrified as I found Yagoda's eyes. She stood behind the table, two huge palette's of water either end of the girl on benches. _

_But Yagoda did not bend one drop of water; she just stared as the women bled to death in front of her. _

_"Y-Yagoda," I managed to choke out at the time. "W-Why don't you-" _

_Her eyes were so cold as they snapped to me; but not as cold as her voice. "You are the Avatar's healer, Katara. Dummies and animals and fake blood is nothing compared to the real world. It is nothing compared to what you will face in the rest of your life." _

_She strode backwards, away from the women. She sat on the floor, calm and cold. She did not look at me. "Save her." _

_I was quivering, my eyes filling with tears, since back then, it was the only thing I knew how to do. "But, Yagoda-" _

_"Save her." she repeated, so stern and uncaring; so different to the women teaching me those past two weeks. Her eyes were as cold as the ice I had bended mere minutes ago, as cold as the breeze on my neck that blew in from the tent. "If you do not save her, she will die." _

_My eyes were on the women, then. She was barely conscious, her trembling grey-blue eyes screaming in silence for my help. She couldn't speak, only whimper in pain, only jut her chin forward as she choked on the blood that rose in her throat._

_I felt so powerless, so scared. I didn't know what to do. I rushed over to her, trying to stable my own wobbling feet as I lifted her head up so that she wouldn't die from her own blood in her throat. I was messy and sloppy as I examined her, my palms engulfed in cold sweat, rendered useless, even as adrenaline coursed through my entire body. _

_I struggled, grew even more scared, my face crumpling in sobs as I looked at Yagoda desperately for guidance. "Y-Yagoda! Please, I...I can't-" _

_Yagoda only stared at me with piercing azure eyes. "If you do not save her, she will die." _

_My head dropped to the women in below me, my hands stained, imprinted with her blood. It was all up my sleeves, parts of her flesh under my fingernails, the scent overwhelming me, the sight engraving itself into my mind. The women's eyes were only half open, but she looked at me. __I mustv'e looked a mess, standing over her, panicking, motionless, as she proceeded to bleed out on that table. _

_But that look she gave me; even though I was barely 15, even though I was shaking more than she was, even though my tears of anguish and helplessness spilled onto her blood spattered cheeks, she uttered a look that changed my entire life from that second onwards. _

_My eyes stopped producing tears, my pants slowing into calm, controlled breathing. I looked her, and she looked at me, before she passed out. My hands were still quivering slightly, but my brain started understand, started to cope with me. _

_My words were so quiet, I wondered if I even said them. "If I do not save you, you will die." _

_And with that, the water in the palette's either side of the women's body were already up in the air with a minuscule flick of my arms. I coated her entire mid body in water, inhaled a sharp breath, and then proceeded to knit her skin and flesh cells together again. I pushed and pulled the water about her, the glow filling the entire room, the water becoming more and more crimson as I healed. _

_After a few minutes, her most severe wound was ready to be stitched, but her left foot was still mangled beyond compare. Amputation was the only option, and my mind worked like clock work as I deciphered the metatarsals from each other, discarding the ones that were no longer of use, saving whatever I could of her foot. _

_It was a full hour before I had stitched and bandaged her and started to monitor her heart beats per second. Only then did my eyes flicker to Yagoda. She smiled broadly, proudly at me, standing up efficiently, walking to my side of the table. _

_"I doubt whether even I would have been able to heal her as well as this," she uttered with care, gesturing to the unconscious women. "I hope you know that I did not do this to you out of cruelty, Katara." _

_I smiled faintly at her, nodding. _

_She turned to leave, calling in the assistant nurses so that I could go back to my waterbending lesson. She looked back at me, her aged skin glowing from the sun that peeked through the tent, and she left, because I did not need her anymore. _

_Days upon days did I leave that very tent a running, giddy and giggling student from the success in classes; proud and ignorant of all of the things I had learnt, though had never actually used. I would rush to Aang and Sokka and tell them all about the updated medical archive in my brain, even though they had no idea what I was really saying. _

_But on that day, I walked out with blood on my sleeves, and tears dried on my face. I walked out with hard eyes and a calm stride, turning the heads of everyone who would now address me as Master. I walked out with clenched fists and an iron will, something that was so unfamiliar to me up until that point in my life. _

_On that day, I walked out of that tent a healer. _

* * *

_**Zuko;**  
_

_I chased the Avatar and his friends for a lot of different reasons; you know, regaining honor, acceptance, cancelling out my banishment so that I could live in my own nation again, and all of the other reasons that were highly publicized about me at the time. _

_But the real reason why I did all of those monstrous things was simply because I just wanted to be home again. I wanted somewhere where I would know that I could feel safe; where I didn't have to worry or fear because of the way I thought, or the way I acted. _

_It took a long, long time for me to realize that that home that I had envisioned all my life was never in the Fire Nation; it was never with the perfect family, or the most expensive things or the most delicious foods, or the most glamorous of locations. _

_I still remember the first day I actually felt at home; maybe because at the time, I had every reason not to. I had been travelling with the Avatar for a while now. It was in the Western Air Temple, around dinner time. _

_Everything was a mess; rubble and stone everywhere, tents strewn about all over the place. Pots and pans and laundry lay scattered on the rocks to dry under the sun that had set long ago. It was a quiet night, with a low chatter on everyone's part; it was the first time we were calm in while, which was a gift from Agni in itself. _

_But obviously, this silence didn't last. _

_"Why do I have to do the dishes by myself?" Katara cried, throwing down a rag onto the floor. "I've been cleaning, and doing laundry and healing everyone all day! Not to mention making every meal and every snack of the day since you're as hungry as a new born!" _

_"Well, I dunno! That's what you always do!" Sokka cried indignantly. "None of us asked for you to do all of that!" _

_Katara seethed. "Then who the hell would do anything if I didn't?" _

_"What, you want me to tell you that we wouldn't last a day without you? That's been obvious since day one!" Sokka exclaimed. _

_"No, I want you to help me out once in a while without me having to ask!" Katara retorted loudly. _

_ "You're a waterbender; if anyone's going to do the dishes, it should be you!" Sokka cried. _

_Katara lashed her arms, the water in the dish bowl, significantly away from her, swaying roughly. "So what? I can't get any help because I'm expected to handle everything by myself?" _

_Sokka looked at her with that bone-head look he always had; he didn't know how to talk to her without making her mad. To be honest, I don't think anybody did. Everyone would just continue to chatter, ignoring the two since they had a fight every other hour anyways, and there was no point in getting caught up in it since it would just happen again the next meal. _

_Though everyone had accepted me by this point, Katara was still a little hesitant around me. She would always keep her water pouch close to her as she slept, or edge away from me if she thought we were too close to one another. I didn't blame her, though. I would react the same, maybe even worse if someone had betrayed me as I did her. _

_But as we all know, Katara has always been the maturest, and she had set aside her difficulties with me for Aang's sake, so that at least there would be no tension between both of his Masters. But I had grown accustomed to her presence; to the sound of her beating the freshly washed clothes against a rock in the early morning whilst I meditated, to the sound of her licking her lips when she would heal our wounds in concentration, to her soothing voice when she would lull Aang to sleep at night when he would be up from nightmare's about my father. _

_I don't know what it was; maybe I had been there too long. Maybe I had become too comfortable. Maybe I had finally realized I had focused a little too much on her fierce blue eyes or the subtle curve of her waist, or the way her coal coloured curly hair would blow delicately in the midnight breeze. Maybe it was the latter. _

_"I'll help you," I had offered innocently. _

_Then, there was silence. Complete and utter silence. Not even Momo or Appa grunted or squealed; like everyone else, including Katara, they looked at me with an indignant expression, as if I had just killed someone right then and there, in the middle of the campfire. _

_I could feel everyone's eyes on me, but it didn't really matter to me at the time; I just stared at Katara as she watched me like a hawk, eyes alive and electric, lips parted in confusion, her perfect brows furrowed. I was waiting for her to reject coldly, or throw the rag at me, or swear under breath before marching off into her tent. _

_"O-Okay," she muttered. Everyone's eyes snapped to her, spell bound. She gestured to the dish bowl, right at the back of the large, open area, against the wall. "Thanks. It's over there; I'll wash and you dry." _

_I was quite surprised myself, wondering why she was willingly so accepting of all of a sudden. I knew it was a one off thing, but I still hauled myself to my feet and walked to the small dish bowl with her, the room still in complete silence. _

_"Looks like Mum and Dad are having some alone time," Toph exclaimed, gaining a laugh from everyone else and a reluctant blush on mine and Katara's part. _

_I never realized how many children there were at the time until I saw the massive pile of dishes. They were all dirty with not just food, but with mud and grass from eating off of the floor, and I was glad that I had volunteered to help Katara myself. _

_She sat in front of the dish bowl and gestured next to her with the flick of her hand for me to sit beside her. It was probably the closest we had ever been since we had met a year ago, excusing the time I had tied her to a tree and failed to hide my affection for by whispering into her ear; I was so stupid, in so many ways. _

_We just sat there, together; her scraping at the dishes with a sponge, and then passing it to me to dry thoroughly with a rag. We didn't say anything; but it wasn't out of awkwardness or unwillingness to talk. It was some sort of...mutual comfort that neither of us wanted to admit we had taken a liking to. _

_The other kids had already starting chatting again, and the air was warm that night. Back then, I was 17; and in those 17 years of being alive, I had never felt more accepted. I never felt so comfortable and...warm inside. I had never felt so peaceful._

_I deduced by the end of that night, that this was not only due to the new friends that I had made, but also due to the waterbender I had helped do the dishes with._

* * *

And that is Chapter 7 :) Sorry this ball is taking so long; patience is a virtue! Or, something clever like that...?

Please leave a lovely, looong review; SO much fun to read from you all!

Stay beautiful, everyone! :)

- Yin


	9. Chapter 8

Hello everybody :) Feeling a lot better since my last Author's Note in the previous chapter; it's raining outside, so that's probably why! :) Also just finished watching the latest episode of Legend of Korra, so I'm having this weird Avatar urge to start this chappy, too! :D

And so, the time has come...The One Year Anniversary Ball.

DUN DUN DUUUNNN.

Please review! :)

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG (but the story is mine, so keep your mitts of it!)

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Though they were so different, at that moment, Zuko and Katara were thinking the exact same thing; a lot can happen in one year.

They waited idly at the docks, along with the other guards. Their nerves overwhelmed them both, as they waited for the ship that would carry their comrades to the very nation they had once despised so mutually.

They didn't really say anything to each other, but this was mostly due to the fact that there wasn't really much time to say anything at all. They had gotten there, smoothed out their robes, taken a deep breath, and the next thing they knew, the ship's board landed with a smack onto the dock.

Sokka was the first to bombard out of the ship; they were still quite far away since they were on the edge of the harbor, but Sokka wasted no time in rushing to Katara and Zuko and greeting them in his loud voice of his, wrapping his arms around them even though he had only just seen them just a couple of months ago.

Zuko watched Katara, as she shoved her brother off of her after quickly returning his hug. She then turned to the deck, her eyes consumed with maternal instinct and worry; something that she was not born with, but had adapted over time. They were too far away to see, but she saw them all the same.

Aang and Toph walked out of the ship so calmly, so steadily, so completely different to Sokka. It took a while before anyone could really make them out as they walked along the deck towards them.

Toph was still in her trademark earthbending uniform, her hair still up in that messy bun that always suited her so perfectly. But her features were less child like, more striking, more prominent now, as she approached them slowly. But she still had that mischievous grin on her face, something that Zuko wondered would ever fade away in time.

Aang followed closely behind her; he was a little taller now, finally at Katara's height. He wore his traditional monk clothing from the final battle, his staff clasped safely in his hand. The childish grin on his face was now swapped for a humble smile, his immature demeanor now concealed as adolescence overcame him.

Even though they were grown, and so different to the kids Zuko used to hunt, it dawned on him how young they really were; all of them, for that matter. The reluctance in their eyes were quite evident, and he glanced over to Katara, who could not wait any longer for the two to reach her.

She walked briskly at first, but then lost herself into a quick jog before slamming her body into Aang and Toph's. She cradled them in her arms, swaying a little, towering over them protectively. It didn't take long for the two to raise their own arms and bind them around her, and they didn't say anything; no one did. Sokka eventually jumped on their huddle too, though he was welcomed warmly as they hugged each other in one big mess.

Zuko then saw who Katara really was to them; to Aang, to Toph, to Sokka. She was not just a friend who would give them advice, or sing lullabies to them when they couldn't sleep, or heal their wounds when they would get hurt, both mentally or physically.

As he watched her, her smile so relieved, her arms so loving, her now moist eyelashes flickering as she pulled them closer; she was so much more than all of those things. She was their mother, and they were her children; and that meant she would never stop caring, and that they would never stop depending on that care, whether they admitted it or not.

So what did that make him?

"What are you doing, all the way over there, Sparky?" Toph called loudly from the center of the huddle. She waved her arms at him. "Get over here!"

He wasn't really given much of a choice, because with a stamp of her foot, he was slammed into the already huge hug behind Aang, Toph and Sokka, facing opposite Katara. His arms were then forced to engulf them all in a huge hug, and Katara's eyes blinked open to meet his.

They were only a few inches from each other as they hovered above their friends, forcing their eyes to connect beyond it all. Her electric blue eyes were moist with relief and temporary peace, as they offered a small smile to him, before closing again and swaying their large huddled gently.

He could feel his friends' arms wrap around his strong waist, and he was so unaccustomed to this; he then took in the moment, with Katara swaying them all, Aang, Toph and Sokka allowing themselves to be swayed, the guards peering at them with interest and small smiles.

Zuko then realized that he was their father; and that he had been their father for a long time now.

* * *

He was scared shitless, to put it bluntly. The ball had already started, and he waited outside for Katara, so that they could be announced together, in some over extravagant, completely _ridiculous _gown that he could barely breath in. Sure, he loved fire as much as the next guy; but even he drew the line at so much gold and red in one robe.

He tugged on his collar, scowling. He could hear the noise and hubbub from the huge hall in front of him as he waited outside the extravagant closed doors. He could almost hear all of the idle chatter and the sighs of his friends after having the same conversation with the 17th boring person already. His heart went out to them, since he really did understand how mundane those conversations were; though, he saved some sympathy for himself, since he would have to have the exact same conversations in a few minutes.

Maybe he should just go now, before Katara would get here, sparing himself of the agony of having to live through another heart achingly boring conversation with the same, boring elder that would just drone on and _on_-

"You look...bright."

He jumped at the sound of her voice, sighing as he heard her giggle. "Don't creep up on me like that!" he cried. "You scared the shit out of-"

He turned to her to continue yelling, but was rendered completely speechless at the sight of her. Her long, curly hair pulled back into an elegant up-do, white lilies pinned to it, contrasting immaculately with her ebony hair.

She wore a figure hugging, pale blue and white kimono that was so simple, yet such a statement against her mocha coloured skin. It defined her body perfectly, drawing his eyes to her hips, her waist, hear slender arms that still wore his bracelet.

She wore hardly any make up; enough to make her eyes stand out even further, which he didn't think was possible, or to pigment her lips an even pinker colour, making them irresistible to his now vulnerable eyes.

It was such a strange combination; she was so fierce, yet so beautiful and seductive at the same time. Zuko didn't quite know how to react to it all, though he knew the answer was _not_ by grabbing her and kissing her until her lips were swollen, like his brain was telling him to do.

"You're...you look...woah." he muttered,

She blushed lightly, though tried to hide it as she approached him slowly. "I better! This thing is so itchy! I can't even run properly!"

He wanted to say something, he really did; but he spent his time trying to fault her. Trying to fault the grace of her facial features, her static, piercing blue eyes, her feminine figure that he found hard to believe was still developing into something even _more_ beautiful everyday.

"Err, hello! Zuko!" she waved a hand in his face. "I throw on one kimono and you won't even listen to me?"

"That is hardly, 'thrown on'!" he cried, gesturing to her body, lingering at her waist unintentionally.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever! Let's just get this over with already."

"I second that," he sighed. He spoke quietly. "So much has changed since we were little kids, running around, trying to save the world."

"We still are," she corrected, just as quiet.

"Are you ready to be introduced, Fire Lord Zuko, Lady Katara?" asked a butler who peeked his head from behind the door at the two. The noise from the huge hall seeped out through the slit in the door, light filling the dimly lit corridor gently.

Zuko nodded, enabling the butler to close the huge door quietly, whispering to the announcer as he did so. He turned to Katara, his full lips curving into a small smile at her. He offered her his arm silently, to which she would just smile back, completely genuinely for once, before gladly accepting it.

They both face the huge doors, taking in a deep breath simultaneously as they locked onto one another. They stole one more glance at each other whilst pushing into the back of their minds how their eyes sparkled at each other in understanding, their hold on each other's arms gripping.

"Good luck," he whispered gently.

She thought of Aang and the love she had thrown back in his face, and was unable to return Zuko's kind tone, despite how much yearned to. Her eyes hardened, silently slipping on her mask in preparation for the rest of the night. She drew up as much courage as she could and kept it close to her. "You too."

A bellowing voice ended the pang in Zuko and Katara's chests, as they drew in a sharp breath, ready for the real world.

"May I introduce; Fire Lord Zuko and Lady Katara of the Southern Water Tribe!"

* * *

**_Katara;_ **

_Courage was never something I was born with; if anything, I was born with cowardice. I would always be so afraid, so hesitant to take charge. Ever since I was a child, I would just wait around for someone to walk in and fix my problems for me, or just let whatever was going on to just happen, whether I was happy about it or not. _

_But then my mother died, and things changed. I realized that if I waited around for someone to fix everything for me in my life, I would be waiting forever. So, I stepped up; I learned to be a mother, even though I was still a child myself. _

_But the only real time I had ever really used any of the courage I had saved up wasn't until a while after I had left the Water Tribe with Aang and Sokka. We were in the Kioshi Islands, and having only just arrived there; meaning that we had no idea where the hell we were. _

_It was late at night and we were all starving and exhausted. I decided that to go to the market by myself whilst Aang and Sokka caught up on some sleep, which I should've known was a stupid thing to do at the time, but I guess my fatigue and hunger had gotten the better of me. _

_I had somehow managed to trade some medical herbs for some strange animal jerky and roots; it wasn't exactly filled with nutrients, but it was food, all the same. Trudging back to our camp, which was a good mile away, the only thing that was keeping me company was a full moon that night. _

_I was completely unprepared and vulnerable, an inexperienced child; a perfect victim. In that sense, I could sort of understand why that man ambushed me, then and there, the moon being the only witness. He beat me a little, pulling my hair so hard that it burned my scalp, my tears tricking onto my neck as my head was snagged backwards. _

_"What a pretty one, you are," he had whispered murderously in my ear. "Maybe I can take you home." _

_He was clearly a sadistic pervert, this only being proven as he was trying to run his hands up inside my tunic. I barely even saw him, the blood in my mouth and the cold hands on my body being the only thing I could think of at the time._

_Even though this had all happened within the space of about 2 minutes, I had already accepted the fact that I was going to die. It didn't bother me how; all that bothered me was who was going to feed Sokka and Aang, or who was going heal their scrapes and burns, or who was going to mend their clothes when they would train too hard. _

_At that moment, I knew that nobody was going to save me; and for some reason, be it due to exhaustion or the adrenaline, or the moon urging me to defend myself, it terrified me. For some reason, I actually cared that I was going to die not for anyone else's sake, but for the sake of my own life that would be taken so unfairly from me, before I even had a chance to prove that I deserved it. _

_These were the facts; I was 14 and a half, I knew close to no waterbending whatsoever, I was fatigued and powerless in every way possible, and I should have died that night. But facts don't actually tell you how a situation will play out; it will only tell you how it _should_._

_Maybe it was the adrenaline, or the thoughts jumbling up in my mind, or the sudden will to keep on living; all I knew, was that one second I was as good as dead, and the next, I could practically feel this man's blood circulate through his body. I could feel his veins throb, his own adrenaline course through him, his thumping heart pulsing with every drop of blood, his vessels working to keep his body alive, the full moon glowering down at me, sparking life within me._

_I don't remember the next 60 seconds; just blackness. All I saw was his still body on the ground, dead before me. There was no water, weapon, rock, a sharp stick, even; nothing around me that I could have possibly used to defend myself in any way. But in that 1 minute where I had blacked out, I had done something that had killed him instantly, that had completely broken his existence in the world within a split second._

_After that it was just crying and screaming and running back, completely distraught, to a very sleep deprived Sokka and Aang. It was not until almost a year later, long after I had mastered waterbending and healing, was I informed by Hama, a former Southern Water Tribe waterbender, what I had actually done that night. _

_All I know is, courage isn't always something that happens, or reveals itself as a consequence to a tragic decision, or selfless act in the middle of chaos. Courage can also be something that is the only remaining option, morality in mind or not; in a fight or fall moment, it can also be the only choice you have in order to stay alive. _

_Despite what even the Avatars say, courage isn't always something that is as pure and noble as everyone thinks; it is not always in the heart of what is good in the world, and not always the silver lining when all you see is black. _

_It can be complete and utter instinct to keep on living; whether it is perceived as justice, or not._

* * *

_**Zuko;**  
_

_It's not exactly a secret of mine that I'm a little more on the short tempered side of things. I guess I was just born that way, since even now, something like my ink palette drying up half way through writing a letter will piss me off enough to smash it against the wall. _

_And though it's pretty hard to believe, I used to be worse than this; so much worse. It was mostly around the time where I had just joined Aang and his friends, was I really at my angriest. I would strive to not show it at all when I was around them, since they had little reason to trust me anyways; but I would always sneak out of my tent at night and firebend my ass off to relieve some stress._

_Believe it or not, but I actually felt guilty about it; there were so many times when I was with Mai that she would find me hurling fire at the ground in the middle of the night, and would yell at me, telling me I needed to control myself and just go to bed like a normal person. _

_I didn't even know what I was angry about; maybe because it started to dawn on me that the possibility of my father winning was more likely than we had all originally thought. Maybe it was because I knew I had to patch up a relationship with a girl I didn't even like that much. Or maybe it was because even if we won this war, even if I had escaped a loveless relationship with Mai, I would still have to be the Fire Lord, which was something I knew I wasn't ready for. _

_This all came out in angry bursts of fire swirls and flares, illuminating the night. It was the only time I felt I could just let everything out without the fear of being judged, without the fear of bringing up past resentment from my new found friends if they found out that the Avatar's firebending master had just as little a clue as he did. _

_Either way, I would yell and scream all I wanted, kick and punch and blow off as much steam, both literally and figuratively, as I could in a couple of hours. It took a while for me to realize that I wasn't alone on that wide open space of land, above my sleeping comrades. _

_Katara had somehow popped up out of nowhere, scaring the life out of me with those electric blue eyes of hers. She was panting heavily, her eyes alive and fierce, water encasing both of her arms entirely as she bore her eyes into me. _

_We were quiet for a while, just staring at each other; I had no idea what to say to her, because I knew whatever I said would come out sounding stupid and unintelligent, so I just kept my mouth shut and tried to look as calm as possible, despite how I felt._

_Her voice was quiet. "So...what are _you_ angry about?" _

_It never struck me that maybe Katara may be out for the same reason as I was. It never struck me that maybe despite how calm and motherly and kept together she was supposed to be, she was still a girl with feelings and worries like everyone else. It never struck me that me and Katara were a lot similar than we both had initially thought. _

_I shrugged. "You know, the possibility of loosing the war, being a Fire Lord if we win, being with a girl I never even loved in the first place," I muttered. "You?" _

_Katara looked away, sighing, and I had only just realized how beautiful she actually was. "Same as you, really; loosing the war or my friends, wondering how I got myself into this mess of taking care of everyone, expected to be with a boy I can never love like he loves me." _

_I wanted to hold her, but I didn't even dare to look at her properly, through what I guessed, was fear. We were both afraid; afraid to cross that boundary where both of us were on equal terms, where both of us trusted each other fully, where both of us might just see past what the war had done to us. _

_"What were you even doing?" I questioned, glancing at her water covered arms. _

_She grinned, the first grin I had ever seen of her, and it made my reluctant demeanor waver. "Cutting up this mountain a few miles back." _

_My eyes widened. "Mountain?" _

_She shrugged. "I can't just breathe out fire like you; I gotta hit something." _

_I was a little afraid of her. "Didn't have you pinned as the violent type." _

_"That's 'cause I never was," she said quietly. "Things change, you know?" _

_ I sighed. "Yeah; me more than anybody." _

_Gradually, instead of getting up in the middle of the night to break and hit stuff, me and Katara would talk about everything that worried us. It was strange, thinking about how I had once sworn to kill her just around a year ago, and here I was, talking to her like she had been a friend all my life. _

_She was so...different to Mai. She wouldn't judge me for being angry, since she was just as, if not more angry herself. It was an unexpected sort of understanding of her that confused me about her even more. But I had a feeling that a part of me would never be able to understand Katara, and I stand by that theory even today. _

_It made us look so idiotic, fighting to kill each other, threats and abuse, both verbal and physical, being lashed out at each other when we thought we were enemies, when really, we were just kids with the exact same problems; kids who fought for the exact same things. _

_Just before I was crowned Fire Lord, I immediately ended things with Mai; __simply because there didn't really seem much point in kidding myself anymore. We had a dead end relationship, and it was obvious to everyone, not just the two us. _

_Besides, my thoughts were clearly occupied with another girl; something I had to push aside as quickly as possible, since it was something that was never going to happen, not matter how much time would pass or how many nightly conversations we had. _

_For an update on said task, I'm failing miserably._

* * *

Zuko and Katara both thought that walking down the stairs together, with everyone's eyes on them was the hard part. Being under the silent and careful watch of a good 200 people was nerve wracking and excruciating in itself, not to mention when the whispering had started.

_"Are they betrothed?"_

_"I thought she was with the Avatar!"_

_"What about that Mai girl the Fire Lord was seeing?"_

_"She would make a fine Fire Lady!"_

_"But their children would not be of pure Fire Nation blood!"_

The list continued throughout the night, though thankfully, never said directly to either of them. Though, it was surprising how many mundane conversations could take place within the first few minutes of entering a room. Zuko and her had parted ways from the second they had reached the bottom of the staircase, which silenced most of the instant rumors that had occurred at the sight of both of them together.

Though, to Katara, she liked to think of it as killing two birds with one stone; the birds being the condescending elders who would criticize her for not being married and bearing her third child already. The stone being her sharp, yet equally rude comebacks that would do nothing less than shock the elder she was talking to into slowly backing away from her and try not to make eye contact with for the rest of the evening.

She felt someone tap her shoulder, and she jumped, her clenched fist enclosed in ice as she whirled around from force of habit. But her cold eyes were forced to soften at the sight of the man behind her.

He looked healthy for his age, but war and the death of the love of his life took a significant tole on him, and inevitably, his demeanor. His Water Tribe uniform sparked back memories within her, memories she had tried so hard to forget, even as he stood before her.

"Dad!" She cried, flinging her arms around him.

Hakoda smiled broadly, gladly holding his daughter close to his body. His smile weakened, though, as he caught a glimpse of her fist encased in ice before she threw her arms around him. Despite vowing at Katara's birth that he would protect her at all costs, he realized, then, just how much he had actually failed to do so.

"Hi, honey," he spoke gently into her ear, holding her tightly.

She pulled away from him, her smile now so different from when she was a baby, so different from when she was a girl back at the tribe, who would cry at even the slightest occurrences. She was, technically, still a girl, he knew; but she was already women, due to circumstances that were not completely under his control. Circumstances he would change or take back if he had the power to.

She stood there, in front of him, being everything he could've imagined her to be when she was born and more, _so_ much more; he was forced to reluctantly admit that she was even more beautiful than her mother, which was a rarity in itself. She stood with grace, intensity, strength, wisdom, and ruefully, even the hardships of war and life; something he had hoped she would gain at 37, maybe, but not at 17.

"You're beautiful," he admitted proudly. She did not just look it, she _was_.

Katara's smiled a sad smile, because things like beauty didn't matter much in a world like this one anymore. "It's called make up."

Hakoda shook his head, trying to remember when she was pure and naive. "No, Katara; it's you."

Katara's heart wavered, wishing she could still be the person who could run into her father's arms and cry about how she was not. But she wasn't; and so she forced a smile that didn't look forced anymore, and ignored the idle chatter that would make her heart twist at night as she slept. "How is everyone at the village?"

"They miss you," he said genuinely. He grinned. "Someone missed you so much so, that I just couldn't keep them from travelling here with me today."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

And with that, Hakoda stepped aside, revealing the elderly Water Tribe women, smiling proudly. "How can a party start without me?"

"Gran Gran!" Katara cried, pushing past her laughing father as she engulfed her grandmother in a huge hug.

She smelt of sea prunes and salt; of wisdom and lavender candles. Or of the herbal oil she would use to soothe aches and pains, since back then, healers were a luxury no one could afford. She smelt of the warmth and comfort Katara had forgotten she had missed.

But her Grandmother also smelt of tears and anguish as she would cry for days and days after her mother's death. She smelt of of hours of learning how to sew and cook so that no one would go hungry or grow cold from worn clothes. She smelt of the helplessness of not even being able to bend one whip of water from the snow.

Kanna smelt of things that Katara had once called home, but also of things she had fought so desperately to forget.

"What are you even doing here, Gran Gran?" Katara cried, mustering a smile, pushing her feelings aside. "How did you find someone to bring you here? The only boats we have back at the Tribe were canoes; there's no way you could have travelled safely all the way to the Fire Nation!"

"Don't sell me short, child! I still have some life in these old bones!" she smiled broadly. Her eyes softened. "But it's also due to the help of Fire Lord Zuko, over there; he sent one of those huge fancy ships all the way to the Tribe weeks ago, so that I could travel safely and be on time for tonight's event to surprise you."

Katara furrowed her brows, jutting her head backwards in surprise. Her eyes somehow found Zuko from across the room, as he stood significantly away from them, talking to some of the Fire Nation Officials and elders about things she couldn't hear from where she was standing.

"Zuko...Zuko did that?" she breathed, her eyes still on him, softening unintentionally.

Hakoda and Kanna exchanged a secret look as Katara watched the Fire Lord, her confusion so evident on her face. She was grateful, yet so confused at the same time; for him giving such a personal gift to her. She didn't even know he knew anything about her Grandmother, let alone sent one of his royal ships out to bring her here.

"He is a charming, kind man," Kanna added, trying to sway her grand-daughter. "Not to mention extremely handsome!"

Katara blushed, for some stupid reason that she was not aware of, her head snapping away from Zuko and to her Grandmother again. "Y-Yeah well..."

"So you agree?" Kanna cut in.

"On what?" Katara questioned.

"That Zuko is handsome?" Kanna asked with a smirk.

Katara's blush grew fiercer. "E-Erm...well...I-"

"I'll take that as a yes." Kanna finalized for her.

Katara scowled, her cheeks burning. "Gran Gran, he's the Fire Lord!"

"And you are Lady Katara of the Southern Water Tribe," her father spoke. "What's the problem?"

"That that is _all _we are going to be!" she cried, angry now. The champagne in the glasses the waiters and waitresses carried around all shook roughly, messily spraying out onto the platters and the floor, causing a hubbub of staff to flood out and clean it immediately.

Kanna and Hakoda watched Katara with worry and concern, even a little fear; the guilt hit them in a simultaneous swell at the thought of Katara pushing people away her entire life. The guilt only grew stronger as they came to realize that this was something that was inevitable from the second they had allowed her to leave the Southern Water Tribe.

Katara looked away, her eyes compressed in shame. She didn't even know what these feelings for Zuko she had were, mostly because she would do anything she could to try to not think about it; she figured that if she were to leave that part of herself untouched, it would fade away eventually. But seeing him everyday, remembering that feeling of his strong arms around her, breathing in his musky scent, peering into those soft golden eyes-

"I...gotta get a drink," she said quietly.

Scurrying away in whatever kind of haste she could in her kimono, Katara approached the refreshments table, which was right at the back of the room, away from the huge crowd of people, and she sighed deeply. She knew she had handled things with her father and grandmother poorly, but when things about her personal life were concerned, her instincts got the better of her, and she would just run.

"Agni, help me, I'm such a mess," she muttered bitterly, tipping her head back as she downed some alcohol.

"Go easy on the booze," a deep, familiar voice said behind her. "Wouldn't want the Officials to see good-girl Lady Katara drinking under-aged."

Katara smirked. "I'm 18 in a year, Zuko." she spoke frankly. "I'm the commander of an army, one of the best waterbenders in history and the world's most advanced healer; I think I can handle some liquor."

He stepped beside her, grinning charmingly, much to her dismay. "That's what I thought at my 18th; but trust me, in the morning, you will not think the same thing."

She laughed, picking up another glass. "I guess it's not very professional for the Fire Lord to be off his face; what about your 19th? No cheeky glass of Fire Liquor?"

Zuko grinned widely, flashing Katara his perfect smile that made her turn away a little. "Well, actually, my birthday will be in two months, around the time when we're in Ba Sing Se; not even my Uncle will be there to stop me."

Katara smirked into her glass bitterly. "I'll gladly join you; anything to forget."

He raised an eyebrow, watching her. "About what?"

She closed her eyes, shaking her head, downing another glass of alcohol. "Everything."

Zuko watched her, how the light illuminated her skin like something that wasn't of this earth, how her eyes sliced through him so effortlessly, how most men in the room would leer after her as she would do something as simple as brush hair behind her ear, or purse her lips, or stare thoughtfully into her empty glass.

He wondered then, watching her, remembering his friends, glancing at the concerned look on Katara's relatives' faces; he wondered what the true price of peace was, and whether it was really worth having at all, since it didn't seem to fix the problems that would surface themselves afterwards.

"Katara?"

That voice; it brought back so much to her in that one, minuscule second. It brought back campfires and running for her life, healing until her entire body ached, spending hours mending clothes that shouldn't been thrown out months ago; of saying her name when he didn't know what else to say.

It brought back the smell of Appa and trees in the forests they would set camp in, and the kisses that she wished didn't mean so much to him, and Sokka growling and chasing Momo when he would steal food from him. It brought back the hugs at night, when the fear of loosing the war would burden his small shoulders to the point where he could bear no more.

It brought back the sound of the ice berg breaking, the sound of hope igniting itself for the first time in 100 years.

She turned, forcing down the lump in her throat viciously. "Aang."

He stood there before her, his back straight, his arrow bright, his eyes gleaming from the exhaustion of peace that none of them were prepared for. He was only at her height now, but he seemed so much taller, his body filling out his airbending robes a little better, his smile a little fainter.

She took him into her arms almost instantly, because she just didn't know what else to say. She didn't know how to voice her guilt openly to him, how to tell him how there would be nights when she wouldn't sleep at all because all she could think about was how she had broken his heart.

He wrapped his arms around her slowly around her waist, his body relaxing, releasing a low sigh that he didn't he had been holding for this long. Admitting that he missed her was the biggest understatement to ever exist; he yearned for her, even though she was never really his.

Aang breathed in her hair, the feel of her ear against his, the way her body had now curved beautifully to that of a women, now. He could still remember her face as clear as day from the moment he snapped his eyes open after breaking out of that iceberg, even though he had spent this year trying his hardest to forget.

She broke away from him, her eyes as soft as they had been in a year. "How...how are you?"

Such a simple question did not sum up her compassion for him. It felt estranged and a little bitter, a little distant against her lips. It had been so long since those days when they would joke around about things that weren't even funny, how they would spend hours staring at the stars, feeling that anything was possible. She wondered what had happened to all of that, as she stared into his misted grey eyes; she knew the answer, but was reluctant to say it aloud.

They grew up.

"You know, rebuilding the Air Temples and stuff," he spoke, his voice not as light as it used to be. "Some are easy, like the Western Temple, which is mostly preserved; others are a little harder to re-model, since all that's left is debris."

"So once it's refurbished, what are you going to do?" she asked gently, the sound of his laugh a year ago still ringing in her ears.

"I guess I should settle down there, colonize it so that it can be turned into a city of peace again," he uttered. "It needs to be brought back to life again; the airbenders have been forgotten for so long now, it will take time to resurrect its culture."

He watched her, smiling a little, as she watched him so intently; her face was so familiar to his eyes, yet so different to the girl she once was. He was not blind to the change in her, to both of them. But this in no way made it easier to accept. He decided to then focus on her beauty, rather than how different it all was, now, compared to one year ago.

"So what about you?" he tried, attempting to spark life into them both. "Do you ever think that you'll ever return to the Water Tribe?"

Katara looked away, and Zuko's ears perked up. "No." she said simply, quietly, shamefully. "It's not my home anymore; hasn't been since my mother died. Besides, I have the army base here, not to mention the meetings between nations happen here, which I need to be present for."

"So...where is your home now?" he asked, not really thinking.

Her eyebrows furrowed, reeled back at the question; where _was _her home? Was it the Fire Nation? The very nation that took her mother? The nation she had despised so intensely? It certainly wasn't either of the Water Tribes, and so, where did that leave her?

"I-I..." she stammered. She shook her head violently; she didn't have time for this. "This is my home now;whether I like it or not. I don't ever plan not leaving; at least, not now."

"Well, I guess that's not all bad," Aang said quietly, trying to hide his remorse. "At least you can keep Zuko company."

A smile finally graced her face as she turned a little to find Zuko standing awkwardly behind them. "Yeah; someone's gotta keep him out of trouble."

They all grinned, not really knowing what else to do or say. She wondered if it would be like this forever with Aang, and her heart shuddered at the thought of it. But for some strange reason she could not put her finger on, Zuko's presence behind her comforted her; giving her hope for at least one of the relationships in her life."

"Wassup, Sugar Queen?" Toph cried, bombarding into the heavy tension, breaking it so easily, just as she had always done.

Katara grinned, enveloping Toph in a hug. She looked sweet and pretty, clad in her pastel green and brown kimono, traditional attire that she would wear if she was at home. Though, burped loudly, so in character, but failed trying to conceal her growing beauty.

"You look beautiful, Toph," Katara smiled at her, ignoring her loud burp.

"Well, I'm not the one being stared at by all the guys in the room," she remarked.

Katara blushed fiercely. "Like who?" she cried.

"Well, for one, Sparky hasn't kept his eyes off you for more than one secon-" She started loudly, but Zuko had already dashed behind her and clamped a firm hand over her mouth, laughing nervously.

"Shut up, Toph!" he muttered into her ear, his cheeks reddening.

Toph pushed him off of her easily, laughing loudly at him. "Whatever, Sparky! But your tomato face tells a different story!"

Zuko grunted from frustration, glaring at Toph, his cheeks on fire. He tried changing the subject. "So, how's the earthbending orphanage, Toph? Found any worthy apprentices?"

Toph grinned proudly. "They're all pretty good, you know, once you push them hard enough. Just goes to show that it doesn't matter whether you live in a mansion or a cardboard box; you are either born a great bender, or not."

"I hope you don't push them too hard," Aang laughed. "They are just kids, after all."

Toph quietened, her clouded eyes fraying a little. "Yeah, but...so were we."

Before anyone had any real time to feel any kind of bitterness, Sokka had already run at them from across the room, throwing his arms over Zuko and Toph, standing in between them, so that they were all in one circle.

"Aah, this sure does bring back memories!" he cried. "Maybe I should call Suki and Mai over, so we'll really feel like the Gaang again!"

"Yeah, let's _not,_" Zuko muttered quietly. "Fine, call Suki over; but it's gonna be a whole lot harder avoiding your ex if they're right in front of you."

They all laughed, even Zuko, and for a second, things seemed okay again. For a second, it seemed like they were back around their campfire, laughing and joking and dreaming of a future that was glorious and happy all of the time, only filled with content and your friends.

None of them wanted the moment to end, so they continued talking, saying the same kind of things they would say when they were a year younger. It worked for a while, until Zuko and Katara's eyes would meet, and the two realized that some things would never be the same again.

* * *

Katara massaged the back of her neck, flicking some water out of the air and pushing it into the muscle within an instant. She never thought that socializing could be so exhausting, or that it would require such stamina.

She leaned against the wall, with what was most probably the 100th glass of champagne in her hand. She watched as Aang, Toph, Sokka and Zuko dispersed into the huge crowd, conversing with elders that would refuse to shut up about the old days, no matter how many times they would roll their eyes.

She smiled faintly, sipping her champagne, her eyes settling on Zuko's broad form as he talked with some guests, unintentionally. She sighed, drawing her eyes away quickly, downing her champagne in and instant, wondering why it wasn't effecting her in the way she so desperately wanted it to.

"Enjoying your evening, I see," said a deep voice from next to her.

Katara snapped her head to the side, wincing at the cracking sound her neck made. "Lee?"

The general grinned, his handsome face only being illuminated by the lighting that night, his piercing, pale green eyes surveying her fondly. "You look beautiful, Master Katara."

Katara smiled faintly, tiredly. "You look pretty spiffy yourself; new suit, am I right?"

General Lee chuckled at her. "Spiffy? You've clearly had too much champagne for one night."

"Nowhere near enough, trust me," Katara muttered.

A women approached them then; she was petite and simply beautiful, her youth and glowing skin drawing the eye of the general. She had sweet grey eyes, and long brunette hair that was perfectly kept, framing her face naturally. She held on to her swollen stomach protectively, as she walked up to them with a smile, so caring, so genuine, reminding Katara of her mother's smile.

"Master Katara," he addressed, taking the hand of the women gently, pulling her to his side. "This is my wife, Sheena."

The women smiled, lighting up the entire room, lowering her head to Katara. "It is an honor to meet you, my Lady."

Katara smiled fondly at her, liking her already. "There's no need to bow; the pleasure is all mine."

"Lee has told me so much about you," she spoke with her caring voice. "You are quite the women of the century."

"I wouldn't say that," Katara ushered. "Lee, you didn't even tell me you were married; let alone that your wife is expecting!"

Lee grinned. "What can I say? I'm a man of mystery."

"Pah! Mystery my ass!" Sheena cried, laughing. She immediately regretted, blushing as she caught Katara's eye. "E-Erm, excuse my language."

Katara only laughed loudly, having to cover her mouth to subside her giggling. "No need!" She glanced at Sheena's swollen stomach with a smile. It reminded her of how she tended to the pregnant women of both of the Water Tribes, sparking nostalgia yet again. "How far along are you?"

"Six months this Saturday," Lee answered for her, wrapping his arm around his wife. "It's our first."

Katara smiled. "May I?" she asked, raising her hands to examine Sheena's abdomen.

Sheena gleamed. "Of course!"

Katara smiled widely, resting her hands gently on her stomach. She concentrated intensely, licking her lips, before grinning widely. "Are you an earthbender, like Lee?"

"Why, yes!" Sheena answered excitedly.

"Well, now you can form a trio; your daughter is also an earthbender."

General Lee and his wife both looked at each other, ecstatic. Their smiles reached from ear to ear, making Katara smile as she admired them. She tried to ignore the ache inside of her, since she would never experience the same thing, though pushed this aside for the happy couples' sake.

"I've always wanted a daughter!" Lee cried, which was so unlike the stoic general Katara thought she had hired.

"I can't wait to teach her to kick ass!" Sheena cried excitedly, throwing a fist in the air. She turned to Katara. "Would it be inappropriate to ask your friend, Lady Toph Bei Fong, if she would teach our daughter?"

"She would be more than happy to! Your baby has a very strong energy; I'm sure she will grow to be an excellent earthbender like her parents." Katara confirmed, resting a hand on Sheena's shoulder. "I'll speak to her myself for you."

Sheena squealed delightedly, pulling Katara into a hug, to which the waterbending master gladly accepted. "Thank you so, so much, Lady Katara!"

Katara pulled away from her, holding the pregnant women at arms length, smiling fondly at her. "The pleasure is all mine." She turned to Lee. "You better go home now, it's getting late. You need to rest as much as possible, especially, in a few months, just before your birth."

"Thank you, so, so much, Master Katara," Lee repeated, him and his wife lowering their heads. "Sleep soundly."

"And to you," Katara uttered politely, before the couple left, hand in hand.

Katara watched them as they went smiling faintly at them. Though Lee and his wife were young, she knew that they would make good parents, and she silently wished them luck, since parenthood was no luxury.

She sighed from tiredness, venturing over to the refreshments table, grabbing some more champagne before heading out silently to the balcony where she could get some much needed fresh air. The moon welcomed her, crescent that night, gleaming as she leaned against the balcony, sipping her champagne, looking back up at it.

General Lee and his wife quickly left her mind, as she thought of Aang, Toph and Sokka. She wondered what their lives were like in their separate homes, whether they thought of the old days as little as she did, as little as she wanted to.

She doubted this, though, as she thought of the mountain of paperwork that was sitting on her desk that very minute, waiting to read and sighed and replied to the following day, which she knew would be a tough one, considering how many glasses of alcohol she had sneakily had.

The wind blew at her skin in a whisper, and only then did she notice the soft music that was playing the hall behind her. Much like everything else in her life, Katara only noticed the finer things once she was given a chance to stop and look for them. She closed her eyes, trying not to think of everything that taunted her when she would try to sleep at night.

Like her mother's piercing screams, or her father's cries at night, or the look on Aang's face when she ended their relationship, or the rebels that were kidnapping and killing the bending citizens of Ba Sing Se at that very moment, or Zuko's strong arms around her, making her feel safe and supported for the first time in her life since her mother's death, or-

"You alright?" she heard his very voice from behind her, to which her heart almost stopped at.

"Y-Yeah I'm great!" she said a little too enthusiastically, to which cringed at immediately afterwards.

"I guess you didn't take my advice on the booze, then," he laughed, earning a soft punch on the arm from her. He leaned on the balcony next to her, his arm holding up his exhausted head, sighing as the wind ran across his skin.

"Sounds like someone is just as exhausted as I am," she commented, sipping her champagne. "It's been a long night."

"You can say that again," he muttered. "You'd think that an event like this would fun, especially since we're the main reason why it's happening; instead, it's just like the work we do on a day to day basis. Solidifying the relationships between nations, except in real life."

Katara chuckled bitterly. "Fun doesn't exist anymore, Zuko. At least, not for us."

He glanced at her, trying desperately to fault her beauty, turning away brashly when he could not. He envied Aang, Toph and Sokka, since they could do what they loved everyday, instead of him and Katara, who had to give it all up to take care of the world. Not that the other three didn't do the same; but he doubted if they dedicated as much of their lives to work as he and Katara did.

But there was a considerable amount of alcohol in Katara's body as well as his own, not taking his own advice earlier about the alcohol, either; whether they showed it or not. So chances are, they wouldn't remember much of this anyway, and most people had left by now, and the moon would be the only witness, and she looked so beautiful, maybe that in itself was an excuse-

"Dance with me." he asked suddenly, not really knowing what he was saying.

She snapped her head to him, blue eyes suddenly alive with surprise. "W-What?"

He turned to her. "You heard me."

"But I don't how..." she said quietly. He knew then that she herself must've been tipsy, since if she were sober, she would've sliced his arm off with a water whip by now, or maybe even worse. She didn't make a lot of sense. "I don't know how to Fire Nation dance."

"It's okay, it's not hard," he said gently, edging closer to her. He could see her hesitation despite the alcohol that weakened her senses and judgement, and he could even sense the hesitation in himself; he spoke to both of them. "Once dance can't hurt."

"Oh...okay," she whispered, giving in, being leaniant for once.

She allowed him to drag her gently to the middle of the large, open balcony, and face her. His golden eyes engulfed her, stunned her, and it was the only thing she could look at. She tried find a flaw in him; his strong arms, his broad body, his addictive scent, his annoyingly handsome face, but she couldn't.

He edged closer to her, so that he could smell her hair, and feel the warmth of her body radiate against him. He grinned at how clueless she was, just standing in front of him, watching him, not knowing what to do.

"Give me your hand," he asked gently.

"Which one?" she questioned.

"Any one!" he said, his smile making her cheeks grow pink.

She offered him her right hand, holding it out straight in front of her, as if he was giving her something. He laughed loudly at her amateurism, and at her face as she scowled at him, folding her arms. "Don't laugh at me! I don't know what I'm doing!"

"Clearly!" he said, grabbing her wrist as she lost her patience and started to march away from him. "Okay, okay! I'm sorry!"

She still glared at him a little, opening her mouth to say something, though was silenced by the strong arms that encircled her waist, pulling her so close that her hands had nowhere else to be but rest upon his chest.

"W-What are you _doing_?" she asked loudly, her cheeks on fire.

"I'm dancing with you." he said simply, trying not to bury his face in her hair. "This is how we dance in the Fire Nation."

She wanted to say something, anything, but she couldn't find the words. She just allowed him to sway their bodies together gently to the quiet music coming from the hall, and was rendered speechless by this tiny act that was called dancing.

He was so warm, so so warm; she swore that he must have been using his fire breath on her, because her entire body was practically radiating, her flaming cheeks not being excused to this. She tried to hate it; to loathe the curve of his body, the firmness of his muscles through his robes, the gentleness of his fingers that stroked the side of her waist as they moved, his swollen biceps brushing against her shoulders.

Zuko held her close to him, and this was perfect. He breathed in her hair, and this was perfect. He felt her body brush against his, the curve of her hips against his arms, the silk of her kimono brushing against his robes, the moon watching them contently, and he had never felt so guilty towards this level of perfection before.

She should've pushed him away, yelled at him, screamed at him, call him every name under the sun and summon a wall of water between them to separate them, envelop her body in ice to try and freeze him away from her, make him not want to come near her-

But she ran out of ideas, and her head rested against his chest, exhausted, and not just from that night; from absolutely everything she was 8 years old and her mother had been burnt to death. She sighed, her body sagging against his, the contact burning the skin under her kimono, and her mind shut down for the first time in years.

"Katara?"

She pushed Zuko away so roughly from her, so violently, so suddenly that it sent him reeling backwards, having to steady himself with the wave of his arms. Her head snapped to the airbender who stood in the opening of the balcony, his grey eyes wide.

"A-Aang!" she cried, flustered and so, so guilty.

The look on his face could've killed her, then and there. She knew from the contortion of his eyes and the way he bit his lips in anguish that she had broken his heart for a second time, and even with the slight dizziness the alcohol, it did not stop her from internally loathing herself to such a degree, she felt nauseated.

How could she have let this happen? How much longer would she stay so completely, utterly idiotic?

"Your father and grandmother are leaving," he said quietly, turning away from her. "They just wanted to say goodbye to you."

"O-Oh," she whispered, swallowing the massive lump in her throat with difficulty.

She hurried out, not saying anything to either of them, because she could not bare to; all she knew was that these strange things she felt concerning Zuko was not benefiting anyone, and therefore, she should dispose of them as soon as possible; if only it were that easy.

She had left the room, and Zuko bit his lip as he looked at Aang. He could see him swallowing the lump in throat, his eyes gleaming as he glanced at Katara's back as she passed him, wanting to say something, do something that would suddenly make her feel the way he did about her.

It was a poor excuse, but Zuko blamed his next words on the alcohol.

"Do you still love her?" he asked quietly, immediately regretting it.

Aang looked after her, all emotion but despair vanishing from his face, his small back sagging, the spark within him that once burned so brightly, dying slowly, yet surely. His eyes caught Zuko's, and he tried to be as honest as he could.

"A part of me will _always_ love her," he whispered, and Zuko's heart sank.

* * *

My my...drama or what? This chapter is ridiculously long, and I apologize! Over 10,200 words. I think that's basically a book.

Pleeaase review! :)

- Yin


	10. Chapter 9

Yo! How you doing, guys? I myself am chillaxing, trying to get as many chapters done in my holidays as possible before I go back to school for my final half term.

I have loads of exams in the next three weeks, so chapters may be a little scarce; I'm apologizing now to save my future self the trouble!

Enough chatter; here is chapter 9!

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 9 **

There are a lot of kinds of pain the world; physical, mental, emotional. All equally agonizing, in completely different ways. The pain that Katara was feeling right now, was for once, physical.

Her head felt like someone had cut it open with a knife and no anesthesia, and only now did she start to wonder if having all of those extra glasses of liquor after the ball was such a good idea after all.

Though, she knew that if she were given the option again, she would still make the same mistake; no words could describe the look on Aang's face when he saw her and Zuko dancing, or the sound of his heart break when she didn't do anything but rush to bid her farewells to her father and grandmother, or the way his grey eyes moistened after he had seen her body relax into Zuko's, because she had never done the same to him, even though he had held her many, many times.

She groaned, sitting on the side of her bed, holding her face in her hands at the memories and her throbbing head. In a sense, she was oddly welcoming this headache; for what she had done to Aang, she deserved it. This, and much, much more.

But like everything else in the world, Katara eventually got over her self loathing and Aang's breaking heart and the warmth of Zuko's arms around her, and got up.

She had already slept in, but she didn't care today; it's not like anyone could stop her. Because of this, she took her time; bathing at a glacial pace, doing her hair slowly, dressing lazily, not even bothering to eat anything.

She went straight to her office, since she had no meetings today, and she prepared herself for a day like any other; read, reply, sign, repeat. She should be used to this, accepting of it; but for some reason, today, she was reluctant.

Maybe it was her pounding head or her bleeding heart, or the look on Aang's face when she said goodbye to him last night still as clear as day in her mind, his eyes messily concealing his love for her that he wanted her to return so desperately.

She sighed, not being to concentrate on even one word on the document in front of her; she held her head in her hands, wanting so badly to find the solution to all of this.

All she could see when she closed her eyes was Aang's misty grey eyes, once alive and vibrant and laughing, now gazing at her longingly. She hated herself more than anything at that moment, and tears blurred her vision.

She shook her head roughly, cursing quietly. How was crying going to solve this? How is crying going to make Aang happy? How is it going to change any of this mess?

The thought crossed her mind that maybe, in a sense, she was not so different from the 14 and a half year old she was when she had left her village to help the Avatar train. She was not so different from the powerless, angry 8 year old she was when her mother died.

She cried quietly at her desk for the first time since she had gotten her office, having a feeling that if she was going to live like this, for the world, until death, this would not be last time she would cry here.

* * *

In the past 2 hours Zuko had sat there, in his office, he did not read one word on the document in front of him. He stared into his ink palette in a daze, his head thrumming, his conscience almost as guilty as the waterbender's down the corridor from him, but not quite as guilty.

He was idiot, and that was the only three words he had thought for those 2 hours; holding her like that, blaming it on champagne that didn't even have that high a concentration of alcohol, holding her so close, as if she was his.

He growled in frustration, tugging on his thick black hair, his head beating so hard, he felt dizzy; and he wondered how Katara felt right now, since he knew she had drunken a fair amount of liquor, have seen her down it even after the had ended ball last night.

Chances are, her head was pounding harder than his, if possible.

It was so ironic; at an event where they should have been rejoicing and joyous, he woke up the next morning not with a content filled smile due to this significant milestone they had all reached, but with a scowl, thinking of Aang's face when he saw them together, thinking of how Katara looked too beautiful, thinking of the problems that would never go away, regardless of how many wars were ended or peace treaties strengthened or years that would pass.

He tried to think back to the days when the world was in turmoil, but everything was simple; kill the Avatar. His friends too, if needed be. They are the enemy, so once they are dead, you can go home. Don't think of how pretty the waterbender girl is, just think about killing the Avatar.

He started to realize how peace was taken so easily for granted, back then. Peace was something that was pure and easy and everlasting, as long as they all were there.

But in reality, it was very different; peace is spending your entire life trying to forgive the unforgivable, living at your desk doing paperwork, turning your eyes away from the problems that would never truly erase, even with the years that would pass.

For the first time since Zuko was crowned the Fire Lord, he wondered if peace was actually worth it. After pondering on the subject for another hour, he concluded that it was, if you had someone to share it with.

* * *

Katara didn't bother trying to hide it anymore; she was alone, now, so what was the point?

She summoned instantly from the plants decorating the hall around her, not seeing them as a beacon of life, but a mere vessel contained that consisted of water; that consisted of weapons.

She whipped it around her before slamming it down, slicing, smashing, hitting, thrashing the huge, huge boulder in front of her. It broke after her first slice, crumbling to pieces, but she still kept beating it violently.

After having sat at her desk for the past 9 hours, accomplishing close to nothing but a few buckets of pathetic tears, she rewarded herself with this; by trudging to the training hall, beating the life out of boulders meant for earthbenders to practice with there.

But that was the last boulder she had just completely battered beyond repair, and she didn't even break a single bead of sweat. She wanted to hit something, trample something, slice something up so that it would resemble the turmoil within her that had never left for years now.

And so, she deemed that she had no choice; she started to batter the ground ferociously, whipping the water so violently that the ground had slashes in it, like it was being cut by metal.

She hit and hit and hit until she could see the cement of the foundation of the training hall, and sighed, plummeting down to the ground, not even panting.

She wondered what she would do when her and Zuko would go to Ba Sing Se and see Aang, Toph and Sokka again after their meeting with the Earth King; she guessed that they might all go out to dinner or something, since it was Zuko's birthday around that time.

She then thought of him; his clearly beautiful face framed with his charmingly messy ebony hair, his broad, stong body, his deep, masculine voice, that musky smell with a hint of...something she couldn't quite determine, even after living in the same mansion as him for the past year.

She wanted so badly to hate him, and she kind of did; she hated how...easily she found him so attractive. She hated how her heart would speed up when he looked at her or said her name, or how her body would be betray her as soon as it made contact with his.

She was mad, again, getting up briskly, looking around the completely annihilated room for something else to hit. But she should've known her luck; she should've sussed she was having it too easy, letting her emotions out like that. She should have guessed that he would walk in at that moment, whilst she pounded another part of the training hall floor.

Zuko just stared at the demolished room, rubble and debris everywhere, the boulders for the earthbenders reduced to a measly pile of dirt, what was left of the bushes, now a dead, shriveled stem that could barely hold itself up.

The huge cracks and slices in the floor only made the fear and surprise in him to multiply, as his eyes found her. She had stopped lashing out by now, sensing his presence. She didn't look at him; on the contrary, she looked away, slightly guilty at the lack of guilt she felt for ruining the hall.

There was a long pause, and she waited for him ask what the hell she was doing, if she had any kind of idea how much this would all cost to repair, asking if she was a monster or something, for causing such a mess, for destroying so much in such little time, with such little effort-

"Thank Agni I'm not the only feeling this angry," he said quietly to her from across the now silent room.

She peered at him, her head snapping to meet him. Her shoulders relaxed, and she grinned, before laughing loudly with him.

She wondered which one of them were crazy; her, for being swayed so easily by his natural charm, or him, for somehow managing to make her laugh, when neither of them should be anywhere close to laughing.

She decided that they were both equally crazy, but she was okay with it.

"Zuko..." she uttered, her small minimizing into a smaller, apologetic one. "I'm sorry about last night."

He watched her from across the room, standing amidst the chaos she had created effortlessly. Her curly hair cascaded down to her waist, the arch of her back and swift curve of her body drawing his eyes, her blue eyes fixated on him, and he knew he would never look at any other girl the way he was looking at her right then.

"It was my fault entirely," he said solemnly. "I was a little tipsy, and shouldn't have asked you to...I just shouldn't have, and I'm sorry too."

They looked at each other, sighing, wondering why even though they had just apologized, they did not feel any better. Katara swallowed, licking her lips, wondering why she still felt so anxious and in-content.

Zuko watched her, his eyes trained on her, his smile small and only for her. She had gone from being his enemy, to his friend, and now...well, neither of them knew how to finish that sentence.

They didn't want to.

"So...what are you doing here?" she asked, trying to ease them both back to normality again.

"To do the exact same thing," he gestured to the destroyed hall. "But I guess I was beaten to it."

"Sorry," she offered, but she didn't mean it. She spoke absent-mindedly, not really thinking about who they both were. "I didn't even get any work done today."

"Me neither," Zuko replied, walking over to her slowly, dodging the piles of rubble and huge cracks in the ground. "Maybe it's from this hangover; I've felt suicidal all day."

"You have _no _idea," Katara corrected, laughing a little. "You only filled up on champagne last night, like a _good _diplomat. I had...well, not just champagne."

Zuko grinned at her, flashing her his perfect set of teeth, making her blush a little under his gaze. "Yeah, you looked like you were enjoying that Fire Liquor a little too much after everyone had left."

"At the time, yeah; now? Not so much," she said, pinching her nose bridge, reminded of how her head was pounding so violently, still. "It always seems like such a _good_ idea at the time-"

"And not so good in the morning," he finished, chuckling. "I still remember the morning after my 18th birthday; I swear I had just come back from the dead. I kinda learnt my lesson that night."

Katara laughed, despite her banging head. She massaged the front of her cranium roughly, the smile on her face refusing to completely erase itself. "Do you think Aang, Toph and my brother are having the same feeling right now?"

Zuko's grin only grew wider. "I'd expect it from Sokka, but Aang and Toph? Not so much!"

Katara chuckled. "Oh, come on; no 13 year old is _completely_ foreign to alcohol. They must've have at least tried some last night."

"But I doubt they would have grown as... _accustomed_ to it as we have," Zuko corrected. "They don't have mountains of paper work to do everyday. Or a nation to rule, or an army to command-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Katara said, waving her hand. "But give them a few years; maybe then they will understand the temporary solace a blurry night of liquor can provide."

"If only it wasn't temporary..." Zuko grumbled.

Katara smirked, laughing as she sat herself down on the one part of the hall that wasn't completely destroyed. Zuko opposite her, and they both crossed their legs, like they did when they would sit around the campfires of their travels.

Katara watched him, his messy hair falling over his eyes, his swollen muscles stiff with tension, his eyes peering at her a little anxiously, and she knew she couldn't keep hiding. She sighed, scratching her head.

"Zuko..." she started quietly, looking away. "When I was telling you about the Arkhurn and it's treatment the other day...I wasn't being completely honest with you."

He surveyed her, examined her; her face turned away from him, her icy blue eyes reluctant and riddled with guilt. She tucked a long strand of curly hair behind her ear, showing more of her luminous, anxious face.

She was so hesitant, but depriving him of this knowledge was not something she could play with to her own liking anymore; for the good of her army, for the world, for everyone, she had to speak up.

Her eyes found him, captivating him, controlling him like a puppet. "Please...don't hate me for this." she whispered. "Don't...don't think I'm a monster."

He worried for her, edging closer to her, like two children sharing secrets. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, you know. It's your life."

She shook her head vigorously. "It's not my choice anymore. You're the Fire Lord; I can't hide this from you much longer. General Lee knows about this, so you should, too."

He furrowed his brows, waiting for her to speak, and she still did not look at him.

"There's a reason why I'm the only in the world that can perform the treatment of extracting the Arkhurn from the body," she said so quietly, she could barely hear herself. "There's a reason why Yagoda can't do it herself; why if I die, the technique can never be perfected."

She had started now, and it was already too late. She closed her eyes before turning to him slowly, opening them to meet him, her words a little firmer, a little sharper. "It's because it requires an advanced form and manipulation of bloodbending."

Zuko's eyes widened, and he reeled back a little. He didn't know much about bloodbending; only having seen Katara use it once through anger when they went to hunt the previous Southern Raiders' leader, Yon Rha, and that was all he knew of the technique.

"Bloodbending?" he whispered, the words new to his lips. "I don't..." he fumbled, his lack of knowledge frustrating him.

Katara's eyes hardened. "Bloodbending is when an advanced waterbender can bend the blood within a person's body, with their consent or not. You can control them completely; their muscles, their organs, their veins. Everything is yours to...play with."

Zuko stared at her, his eyes alive, not knowing what to say, what to do.

Katara swallowed, taking a deep breath. "Orginally, a bloodbender can only perform the technique under a full moon," she fumbled a little, gritting her teeth. "But because I draw most of my water source from the air now, as well as plants and foods, I have a much stronger sense for the vessels that carry water around me."

"You mean...like Toph can sense how many people there are in a building through vibrations?" he asked tentatively.

"Exactly," Katara said quietly. "I can feel anything around me that withholds a high percentage of water. It's just instinct now, not really under my control. It's my fault, since I would keep drawing water from secondary sources, instead of waiting for it to appear naturally."

"So...what does this mean?" he asked her, his eyes never leaving her.

Katara fussed with the hem of her tunic, licking her lips. She swallowed the lump in her throat with difficulty, her eyes not really looking at Zuko's.

"It means...it means that I don't need a full moon anymore," she whispered. "It means...I don't need a _moon_ anymore."

They were both quiet then, Katara's words hanging in the air between them. Zuko gazed at her, not really knowing how he felt, though softened as he saw the ashamed look on her face.

"So...you can feel the blood in my body right now?" he asked, timidly.

She nodded hesitantly, still refusing to look at him. "I know how many people are in the mansion right now, how many blades of grass are on the field outside, or even how many animals inhabit it the small cluster of trees in the West Wing."

He was barely blinking, barely understanding; it was such a...strange, new, remarkable yet dark power. He didn't know whether to interpret it as a threat or a revolutionary step in the art of waterbending.

But Katara was already numb to this feeling of shame. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," he said softly. "It's...it's who you are."

She glared at him. "So I'm a monster?"

"No! No, I didn't mean it like that!" Zuko exclaimed.

"But you're thinking it! You must be!" Katara spat.

"Katara, I don't think you're a monster," he said firmly. "This isn't something that you can control. But...but there are people in the world that will see this as a threat-"

"That's because it is, Zuko!" she exclaimed. "I could kill you instantly, right now, if I wanted to!"

His brows furrowed. "But you can also heal people who have been infected by the Arkhurn with this. It can't be completely terrible, if used correctly and by the right person."

She laughed, the bitterness of it enveloping Zuko. "You and Lee...you treat me so kindly about it. Treating this like it's something that's not completely vile."

Zuko eyes hardened. "Because me and Lee care about you! We understand what others won't!"

Her eyes snapped to him, but he changed the subject before she could mentally pry into his words. "Have you...used it? Like, recently?"

She shook her head firmly. "I only use bloodbending as a last resort; the only time you will ever see me use it is if the chances of death outweigh the chances of survival by a great deal."

Her eyes wavered at him. "If you see me bloodbending, we're most probably going to die."

Zuko inhaled a sharp breath, watching her in front of him. Her curly hair cascaded over her shoulders, falling close to her stomach. Her eyes were so sharp, so restricted.

His eyes then fell to her lips, which were pursed and being bitten by her perfect teeth, and he wondered why he couldn't see blood, watching her bite her lips so forcefully.

He didn't know what was happening to his mind, and blamed it on the headache, or the fact that he was reminded of so many memories yesterday, or how he could still see her beauty, because she didn't have to wear a nice kimono or some make up in order to make that apparent to him.

"Do you think you would still be a perminent bloodbender if you had stayed with Aang?" he asked her quitely, not really looking at her.

Her eyes darted to him, surveying him, but before she could refuse or curse to walk away, her mouth opened and spoke before she gave her consent.

"Probably not; I wouldn't be in charge of an army, so I wouldn't have to teach or use waterbending as much, meaning that I wouldn't have to draw water from secondary resources so frequently, resulting in not being able to sense water vessels around me, thus, relying on the moon; which is only full for a few days a month."

Zuko looked down at his own black tunic, scratching the back of his head. He pursed his lips before looking at her one more time, his gold eyes enveloping her.

"Do you ever regret it? You know, staying in the Fire Nation, not choosing Aang over all of this?"

After the initial shock of the question, she thought about it, and decided that today, right now, she did want to lie; she had already told her darkest secret.

"Sometimes," she admitted. "But, overall, I think I would make the same choice. I feel like...no one could care as much as I do, you know? Like...I couldn't trust anyone to do my job with the same intentions that I would do it with."

He smiled her, and she flushed a little under his gaze. "I feel the same way about being the Fire Lord; it's not exactly..._easy_, but...I wouldn't do anything else."

Katara wondered, then, looking into Zuko eyes, somehow not noticing the rubble anymore; she wondered if he was a reason in itself as to not leaving the Fire Nation. She immediately cast aside the thought, getting up shakily.

"W-We better go back to the mansion," she stuttered. "It's getting dark. We better just eat something and go to bed."

"Y-Yeah," Zuko agreed shakily, getting up on his feet also. "We have a lot of work to catch up with tomorrow. Not to mention planning with starting up on planning how we will meet Aang, Toph and Sokka after we see the Earth King in Ba Sing Se in a couple of months."

Katara groaned, smacking her forehead. "I completely forgot about that! Seeing Toph shouldn't be too difficult; she lives in Ba Sing Se anyways. Our main problem is getting Aang and Sokka there."

They proceeded to walk out of the battered hall casually, having grown accustomed to the destruction Katara had earlier inflicted upon it.

"Aang shouldn't be too hard either," Zuko commented. "He has Appa; you're brother, on the other hand, will have to take a ship."

"We better inform him now, then," Katara mumbled. "It'll take two weeks in itself to get to Ba Sing Se from the Kioshi Islands by ship. And we all know what Sokka is like with his memory."

Zuko grinned. "So, you and Sokka are very much alike, then?"

Katara scowled. "My memory is perfect! I have never forgotten one meeting for a year now!"

"Yet, you forget your own birthday," Zuko laughed.

The two walked back to the mansion, feeling like they did when she was 15 and he was 17, in the Western Air Temple, feeling a little more accepting of each other than they had in a long time.

* * *

**_Katara; _**

_Fear is a pretty universal emotion; everyone, at some point or another in their lives, knows what it is like to be afraid. Like the common, over-in-one-second, 'I thought I saw something behind me', type of fear. _

_But the fear I'm talking about is the real fear; when you can hear your pulse in your ears, and your body is rattled with too much adrenaline, and every way in which you react will contribute to the possible outcome of death._

_This fear was a pretty resounding and persistent feeling that would gnaw away at us inside, since we had left Ba Sing Se after meeting Toph; it was just the constant running, and the same threats in the past swelling up into something none of us could handle at the time._

_But I admit, me, Aang and Sokka had been through more than our fair share of tricky situations before we had reached the North Pole; most of these situations would result in fleeing on Appa or freezing a few criminals, and that would be the end of it._

_But there was once, when it all got it a bit too real for us kids back then; up until then, the whole idea of defeating the Fire Lord and ending the war was just something in the distant future. Something that we all knew would happen eventually, but not now. _

_But that all changed, just after I had stolen that waterbending scroll, landing in a small village only to get some supplies to last us for a week, maybe two. _

_It was raining, which was appropriate, since we were all crying anyway. Some thugs had ambushed us, knocking us unconscious before tying us up, lining us against the wall of a dark alley way, shoulder to shoulder, talking to each other about what to do with us. _

_I was barely awake, the only one out of the three of us being the closest to consciousness, for reasons that I do not understand, even now. The thugs had no idea that I was still half there, listening to whatever I could comprehend of their conversation at the time; every word making my gut twist harder.  
_

_"We can put the girl in a whore house, no problem," grunted one of them. "She'll make some good money, I'm sure."_

_"I guess I could take the two scums to The Boss; he'll probably smuggle them into a couple Earth Kingdom colonies for the Fire Nation generals to do what they want with them." _

_They all laughed, sleazy and pungent. "They'll be dead in a week!" _

_"Two days, I say!" _

_They laughed again, hitting Aang on the head, so that his tied up body plummeted onto the ground with a splash as he hit the puddles, his hood falling off of his head, exposing his arrow, earning a gasp from the men. _

_"That kid! He's the Avatar!" one of them yelled. _

_"His head for the Fire Lord will be worth more than what the girl could make her whole life! And that's if she's been had by every guy in the Earth Kingdom!" _

_"His head, it is!" one of them cried, and I could hear the clang of his sword being drawn out._

_Now, this is the fear I'm talking about. _

_The fear of the first ray of hope in 100 years is about to be killed right in front of you, the fear that your best friend will soon be without a head on his small shoulders, the fear that maybe your big brother will die before next Tuesday, the fear that even if you survive this, the remainder of your life will be lived in a filthy brothel. _

_It was that, and many other things that made my head snap up, make my feet swing, and slash at the ropes around me with the rain falling from the sky. _

_It was that, and many other things that made me whip the water falling from the clouds and slash at the chests of the huddle of men until they were a bloodied heap at my feet. _

_When you feel this fear racking through your body, as you lift your brother and friend in the air with as much water as you can, as you skid and slide all three of you at a lightening pace back to Appa, when you have screamed Yip-Yip and are off and above clouds, do you truly understand what fear is. _

_Fear is deadly; it is not to be played with. Fear is instinct; something you cannot control. Fear is hugging your brother and your best friend's unconscious bodies to your own, because in essence, none of you should really be there. _

_Fear is knowing that you're going to die, that you _should_ die, that you _will_ die, but refusing to accept it._

* * *

**_Zuko;_**

_Pain. _

_It's a four letter word, and can be interpreted in many, many ways. _

_Before I was 14, pain was a reference to the broken family I belonged to, to the spark in my Uncle's eye that died along with his son, to Azula, who was normally distant and spiteful, climbing into my bed at night when my parents' arguing grew a little too unbearable. _

_But the meaning of pain completely changed after that fateful night of my first Agni Kai; where my opponent was no one other than my father. _

_Pain was no longer something that was hidden in the shadows and never talked about; it was burning, searing and out in the open all of the time, completely out in front of you for everyone to see. _

_This was not only reflected by the scar that singed onto my face, but also the turmoil that was permanently existing in my heart. In hurt in more ways than one, before, during, after, even now._

_I was lost and afraid and hurt and angry and alone; and I had no idea in hell as to what I should do about it. I wanted to fix things; I wanted to erase what had been done. I wanted to turn back time to a point when pain was never spoken of, and it only existed in your dreams. _

_I remember my first day of banishment as if it were yesterday; me sulking in my room in my ship, my Uncle walking in without saying a word, sitting next to me on my bed. _

_My coordination was completely off since the vision in my burnt eye was covered by bandages, as well as my bitterness and reluctance to accept it all. _

_My uncle didn't say anything, just sat there for a long, long while, and so I didn't say anything, either._

_I was 14; a reckless, strong willed, arrogant teenager; but I was a kid. A kid who had almost been killed by his own father, a kid who wondered if he would ever be able to have both vision in his eyes ever again, a kid who wondered what the hell to do now since he no longer had a home. _

_It's almost laughable, because I was scratching so ferociously at my already bandaged face because I had started crying. I wanted so much to just win my father's love back instantly, to just go home and forget, to just be normal kid. _

_My uncle just put a hand on my shoulder; no wise words or haikus about the circle of life. No, 'it-will-be-okay's' or saying someday, things will change. _

_But that was all I needed; and even though I didn't know if I could ever capture the Avatar, or regain my honor, or be able to call Fire Lord Ozai 'Dad' ever again, I knew it wasn't all bad._

_Back then, I was able to recognize pain as it came; raw and sudden and inevitable. But it was only until after a long, long time, did I actually learn to accept it. _

_That pain, much like peace, is worth it; if you have someone to share it with. _

* * *

Damn! An update the day after an update? Unheard of! *GASP*

Review like its the last review you will ever leave! (Yeah...I make no sense, I know.)

Have a wonderful day, my lovelies :)

- Yin


	11. Chapter 10

Hello :) So...this is really really late. Yeah...exams and blah. I hate them a lot. Like, maybe too much.

On a lighter, yet extremely random note, found out that I'm going to Canada this summer? I mean, woot woot for holidays but...why Canada, Mum and Dad? ...slightly confused.

Haha, any of you guys Canadian? :P I bet I probably sound so weird with my british accent...:D Like that saying, To-may-to, to-mah-to...and people use the same saying with the word potato too;

But who the hell says po-tah-to?

Not to offend any 'po-tah-to'-speaking people...just sayin' its a little weird.

Have an awesome day!

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 10**

The two months practically flew by, not that Zuko or Katara minded much. The days where they would overwork themselves to the bone, were the days where they were their most carefree; it was like a simple equation.

More Work = Less Time To Think

Thinking never used to be a bad thing for either of them, but over the past two years, thinking had become something that would pester, gnaw and eat away at them at times that were supposed to be the least appropriate.

Thoughts about having to find a Fire Lady soon, about whether the guilt of Aang's love would ever leave her, about how long these treaties would last for, about the tens of people being either killed or brainwashed every day by the rebels in Ba Sing Se.

Some would say that they were children and should not think about such things, or that they should be worrying about next weeks party, or should care more about their appearance or girlfriends/boyfriends; normal things, that normal 17 and 18 year olds should do.

But they had chosen this life, and that was something neither of them would ever be able to deny or take back.

But they wondered often, maybe too much, whether they actually _ever_ had a choice.

And she shouldn't about such things, especially as she practically bombarded out of the mansion a lightening pace.

Katara rushed to the docks, her huge travel bag flung over her shoulder, hitting her back as she half walked, half ran. By the time she had arrived at the port, Zuko was already standing there as the crew practically grabbed his bag from him, saying things like the Fire Lord should never have to carry his own luggage.

He rolled his eyes at them before straightening at Katara's presence; she was panting and she guessed that she probably looked a mess since she slept at her desk last night replying to one of the Earth Kingdom Colony representatives.

She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted as a few men from the crew approached her, eyes wide with admiration and respect, much like the way they looked at Zuko.

"My Lady, may I have your luggage?" One of them asked in their rough voices, though it was softened for her. "A fine Lady such as yourself should not have to carry her own bags! You should of asked one us or the staff to bring it here for you!"

She looked tired Zuko noted, the dark circles under eyes growing more and more aparant as the days passed, much like himself. This should have hindered her beauty in some way, _any_ way; but if it did, he failed to pick up on it.

Her eyes glowed, shone as they snapped to the crew members, and he was sure that every man looking at her then would've all gone weak in the knees simultaneously. Her hair was in her traditional half-do, the remainder falling freely to her lower back, brushing against the fabric of her tunic as her head would turn.

He deduced that she must not know how beautiful she is.

"I've carried up to 8 liters of water on my back before; I think I can manage a little bag." she spoke, though a smile was present, and she handed her bag to the crew anyway. "Take care of it, it's fragile; some of my best medical herbs are in that bag."

"Yes, my Lady," the two crew members spoke in unison, before scurrying away back to the ship to prepare the rooms.

Katara turned to Zuko and sighed, her eyes glancing down at his strong frame as he stood next to her. She could smell him, that light, musky scent that she suspected was natural; it was addictive, dangerous, almost.

His eyes amber glistened under the sunlight, messy black hair falling over them freely. His rugged handsomeness irritated her a little, because he wasn't even trying to look attractive; he just automatically was. She silently tried to discard the thought.

Zuko scowled a little as he looked after the crew members that shuffled away. "They're so _nice_ to you."

She tried to dislike his deep, masculine voice, but failed curtly; she raised a brow. "How?"

"They actually ask you for your bag _politely_, unlike just snatching it from you like they did me!"

Katara scoffed. "I hate it! They only treat me that way because I'm a girl and they think I can't take care of myself!"

"I think it's safe to say that _everyone _knows you can take care of yourself." Zuko mumbled.

"What, so you're being snide with me now?" Katara spat.

"No! I just don't get why you think everyone is out to under estimate you!" Zuko cried.

"That's because they _do_!" Katara cried back. "You have no idea what it feels like to be constantly demeaned just for the gender you are born as! Everyone thinks I'm just a lost little girl that needs a hand to hold; it's like no matter what I do, I will always be an outcast!"

"And _I _don't know what it feels like to be out-casted for who I am?" Zuko retorted sternly.

Katara's eyes hardened, and she growled from frustration. "You _know_ I didn't mean it like that!"

"Yeah, because no one ever does, right?" Zuko spat.

"Well I don't, and you know that I never lie!" Katara retorted.

"Everyone lies, Katara!" Zuko moaned, running his hands through his messy ebony hair, unintentionally making her heart dance in her chest. This only infuriated her more; how he could so easily render her useless without even being aware of it.

"Well, not me!" She cried indignantly.

"Yeah, you just don't tell the truth!" Zuko retaliated loudly.

"What is _that _supposed to mean?" Katara seethed.

"Am I interrupting your little lovers' spat?"

The two teens' heads snapped to the sound of that familiarly deep voice, and turned find General Lee standing there with his travel bag slung over his back before a member of the crew promptly grabbed it off of him. He opened his mouth to say something, but the crew member already left.

He had a strong build and was clearly gifted in appearance; with his piercing green eyes and slick black hair, and the flawless olive skin that encased his well toned muscles.

But despite how astonishingly handsome Lee was, which she would not deny, she preferred the softness of Zuko's amber eyes as opposed to Lee's striking green ones. She was more accustomed and comfortable to Zuko's messiness and the protruding swell of his mucles, unlike Lee, who was well-kept, his body a little more subtly defined than Zuko's.

But obviously, she would never acknowledge such things.

"Sorry I'm late," Lee spoke with a strong smile. "Sheena re-packed my bag for me at the last minute."

Katara smiled at the mention of her. "How is she and the baby?"

Lee's smile was now wide and giddy, like a child's. "They're both great! She's moving around so much now, it's amazing! So much so that it's keeping Sheena up at night, meaning that I'm up all night, too."

"Your wife is expecting?" Zuko asked, shock riddling his face.

Katara rolled her eyes. "It's kind of obvious, Zuko!"

"She was barely even showing at the ball! How was I supposed to know!" Zuko retorted. He turned to Lee, smiling all the same."How far along is she? Is she in her third trimester yet?"

Katara's head snapped to him. "How would _you _know pregnancy lingo?"

"Well if you must know, I'm interested as to what my future wife will go through when she carries _my _children; the least I can do is familiarize myself to the changes her body will undergo." Zuko snapped curtly.

"Wow, look who's suddenly Mr Sensitive," Katara mocked. "You think reading a few pregnancy books will actually prepare you for anything?"

"No, Katara, because every woman's body is different," Zuko said in the same voice he would use in meetings. "This means that in turn, every pregnancy is different; I thought you knew that, you know, being a healer and all." he provoked.

Katara chuckled bitterly. "Zuko, I have delivered countless babies all over the world since I was 13. I think I know a little more about ante-natal care than you do. Do not underestimate me."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Here we go again, with the underestimating!" he moaned. "It's called a _joke, _Katara!"

"I can handle a joke!" she cried.

"Well obviously not!" he retorted.

She growled loudly. "What _is_ it with you!" she screamed frustratedly.

"What is it with _you_!" Zuko cried, just as loud, tugging on fist fulls of his ebony hair.

They both huffed loudly before turning away from each other and folding their arms. The sea crashed a little vigorously against the docks as Katara clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. Fire erupted from Zuko's nose as he breathed loudly from frustration, the orange and yellows sparking the attention of the crew around them slightly.

Lee sighed at the two of them, standing between them both, wondering if they knew themselves how stupid they were. He grabbed their wrists and dragged them onto the deck of the ship they were to be travelling in, silencing their protests.

"Let's just..._go_ to Ba Sing Se," he offered with a sigh. "If we waited around for you two to stop bickering, we'd all be waiting forever."

"BUT _HE_ STARTED IT!"

"BUT _SHE _STARTED IT!"

Zuko and Katara cried in unison, pointing an accusing finger at the other. Their gazes caught, and Zuko was drawn to her eyes ablaze with frustration, and she was becoming a little too submissive, as she was enveloped in his soft amber eyes.

This only infuriated the pair even further, causing them to yell in fury before storming off to their individual rooms, their door slams being heard by crew members that were still on the port.

Lee sighed as he looked after them, talking to the crew member at his side. "They're both so intelligent powerful, but so damn blind as to what's right in front of them."

The crew member only chuckled. "That's just young love, eh, General?"

* * *

Zuko tried to start getting something done; he really did. Like unpacking his bag into his room, getting something to eat, maybe reply to a letter or two whilst he was at it.

But instead, he was sitting at the desk in his chambers staring at a blank piece of paper and thinking about how much she infuriated him, how crazy women were, how completely crazy _she_ was, this odd sensation he had about wanting to grab her and kiss her until she was dizzy.

He groaned and held his head in his hands. He then shook his head viciously and tried to concentrate on the document in front of him, since if he did some work now, there'd be less to do when he got back to The Fire Nation.

He picked up his quill and loaded it with ink, held it close to the paper as he began to write-

There was a sudden knock at his bedroom door, shocking Zuko momentarily, causing the ink to splatter out onto the paper like blood. He growled, his head snapping to the door.

"WHAT?" he cried, his frustration getting the better of him.

The crew member opened the door timidly, gulping as he saw the flames erupt from Zuko's nose. "Err, My Lord, General Lee asks of you in the meeting room immediately."

"There's a meeting room on this ship?" he asked, getting up abruptly.

"Oh yes, My Lord," the crew member spoke proudly. "We have engineered this ship recently so that it is fit for the travels of a Fire Lord, especially since Lady Katara is also to travel with us-"

"Yeah, yeah," Zuko uttered, his blood and heart beats rising at the mention of her. "How long have we been sailing?"

"A good 3 hours, My Lord," the crew member answered dutifully.

Zuko then made his way down to the meeting room of the surprisingly large ship; it was so different to the ship he had lived on since he was 14. With the extravagant decorations and the many corridors of chambers and other rooms that weren't completely necessary.

Once he had entered the meeting room, Lee and Katara were already there. Lee had sprawled out some maps of Ba Sing Se on the large table, and Katara stood over them, her arms folded. Her eyes snapped to him as he approached them.

He wanted to say that she was ugly and putrid to look at, but he couldn't have been more wrong; she was the living proof of elegance and strength as she stood there, her eyes like blue fire as they surveyed him.

"Oh, good! Fire Lord Zuko has arrived!" he joked.

There was only silence as a reply, as Zuko and Katara's eyes met, and they huffed and looked away from each other again, like children. She could smell him already; that intoxicating smell that made her insides double over. This only made her even more mad at him.

"So, erm..." Lee started, his eyes darting between the two. "I just wanted to go over with you the schedule that we will be following when we reach Ba Sing Se."

He had there attention then, as their met his as he continued to speak. "It takes 1 week to travel by ship to Ba Sing Se; when we arrive there, we will be staying in the city for 8 days. Your meeting with the Earth King will be on day 5."

"What about Aang, Toph and Sokka?" Katara asked.

"We are all set to reach Ba Sing Se at a particular time of a week from now, but the Avatar has other duties he must fulfill. Master Bei Fong has acquired new pupils at the earthbending orphanage that she must tend to immediately, and Master Sokka has to meet with a few Earth Kingdom Colony representatives to discuss trade regarding the Southern Water Tribe."

"So...what does that all mean?" Zuko asked.

"It means that none of you will actually be able to see each other until day 6," he said plainly. "That's when everyone, including the both of you, would have finished their duties. It's the only time that you can all be together at once."

"Wait, wait, wait," Katara cut in, her arms unfolding. "Then what's the point of us leaving so early? That means that three of us are doing practically nothing for 5 whole days!"

Lee raised his arms innocently. "This schedule wasn't made by me. It's just orders from General Iroh; he said something about the two of you working too hard and needing a break from it all; even if it's only for a little less than week."

Zuko groaned, slamming his hand into his forehead. "I'm going to _kill_ Uncle."

"Oh, and, one more thing," Lee started, a small grin on his face. "Sheena and I have some relatives here that I have to go and visit for a few days; you know, telling them about the baby and stuff. I won't actually see either of you until day 7, when our meeting is scheduled with the Earth King."

They were both silenced by this, opening their mouths to say something, but despite this, nothing was being said. All that hung in the air was General Lee's grin and Zuko and Katara's agape mouths.

"So...it's just the two of us?" Katara mumbled.

Lee smiled. "I'm sure you two will have a blast! Especially since Zuko's birthday is in that week, too!"

Zuko blinked. "Really? My birthday's in a week and a half's time?"

Katara smirked. "Looks like remembering your birthday isn't as easy as it looks, huh, Fire Lord Zuko?"

Zuko shot a glare at her, opening his mouth to retaliate, but Lee cut in. "Just make sure that you two don't get into any trouble while I'm gone; you'll be staying in a house that the Earth King is providing for you, so don't burn the curtains or screw up the water system!"

Zuko and Katara huffed like children again.

"I can control myself just fine." Katara said curtly.

Zuko laughed loudly. "Oh, _sure_!"

"What is _that _supposed to mean?" Katara cried.

"Erm, cough, breaking an entire ice berg and freeing the Avatar and his fully grown bison, cough!" Zuko spoke sarcastically.

Katara was seethed, her fists clenched so tight, she could feel her nails draw a little blood from her palms. "What makes you think that you can demean me? Because you're the Fire Lord? Because you think you're better than me?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I'm not demeaning you! Who said I said that loosing control was a bad thing?"

"Well it's not exactly a desired characteristic!" Katara yelled.

"But it's a characteristic all the same!" Zuko cried.

"Oh, so you're saying that I should just be okay with it?" Katara snapped.

"I'm saying you shouldn't punish yourself for being who you are!" Zuko cried.

He wanted to scream at her, tell her that she was beautiful, powerful and strong, but he couldn't, for it was not his place, and it never would be. It aggravated him, all these things he wanted to say to her floating around in his head ready to burst out of his mouth, but he held his tongue, something that being the Fire Lord had taught him how to do well.

"Lunch is in half an hour," Lee cut in. "You both better get unpacked and ready for it."

Despite this, Zuko held Katara's gaze for a long second, before she snapped her head away from him with as much strength as she could muster, before murmuring her apologies and leaving the room briskly.

She had managed to get to her room before letting out a loud sigh, leaning the back of her head against the door. She hated what he was doing to her; after spending this past year trying to forget who she was, and force herself to become stoic and logical, he just pulled it the real her out of her again without her consent.

She despised it, the way he could suddenly just break her down to her bear foundations so easily. The way he would rip off her now perfect mask so that she had no choice but to be herself.

She hated the unintentional control he had over her, and vowed that she would never let it get the better of her again.

A part of her knew this was a lie, the rest of her ignored it.

* * *

Zuko breathed in the midnight air, nostalgia filling him as he felt the light breeze would run through his hair. 4 and a half years ago, nights like this would be spent wondering where the Avatar was, or listening to Uncle's haikus over bitter tea, or sneaking off to the kitchen to pinch some liquor when his need to forget would overwhelm him.

He sighed, gazing up at the moon that was crescent that night, and he had a feeling that Katara was looking at it too, from her own balcony in her room. There were no clouds that night, only the stars and moonlight illuminating the now calm sea that would sway the ship gently every once in a while.

It was starting to get a little cold; hell, it was cold 3 hours ago. But Zuko didn't want to leave the deck, so he used his fire breath to warm himself, inhaling deeply as the heat comforted his already strong body.

He held his head in his hand as he leaned against the railing of the boat, wondering about things he shouldn't be wondering about; like if Katara was still wearing his bracelet right now, even though they had had many arguments that day, or if she braided her hair like she used to before she slept, whether she slept at all anymore, whether she was cold right now, too-

He shook his head, and forced himself to be rational; she probably was still wearing his bracelet since he hadn't seen her take it off since he gave it to her. She probably didn't braid her hair, because she hadn't braided it for 2 years now. She probably didn't sleep much anymore.

And if she were cold, she could probably just bend the blood in her body to circulate faster to heat herself up; and besides, she was born in the Southern Water Tribe. Cold, for them, meant good weather for that day.

But why did she have to be in his head at all? Why couldn't she just be another ally, just another colleague, just another girl that he happened to see everyday that he didn't really care about that much-

Zuko ran his hands through his ebony hair, messing it up even more. These feelings he had were getting pretty dangerous, and he knew had to do something to get rid of them as fast as possible.

As he tried to list possible ways to demolish these feelings, he heard the door squeak open and the click of boots on the metal floor as the footsteps approached. He didn't need to turn to know that it was General Lee, looking perfect and immaculate as always, leaning against the rail next to him silently.

He didn't say anything for a few moments, so neither did Zuko. He glanced at him through the corner of his eye; his perfect hair and strong body, his striking emerald eyes that shone in through the night.

Jealousy hit him hard, at the thought of Katara ever looking at Lee the same way he himself looked at her. There was no way she could've not noticed him in all this time. He knew he was being ridiculous, since Lee was 6 years older than Katara and had a wife and expecting a child; but this didn't stop him from wondering, silently resenting.

"So, what's the Fire Lord doing out at night all by himself?" Lee asked quietly. "What's on your mind?"

_Katara's eyes, Katara's hair, the way Katara smells of fresh air and something sweet, and something addictive, Katara's rare smiles, the way Katara waterbends, the way Katara brushes her hair behind her ears, the way Katara does _anything, _just _Katara-

"Nothing much," he said replied softly, a little too quickly.

Lee raised a brow, and his emerald eyes caught Zuko's golden ones. "Dreaming about Lady Katara?"

"N-No! Of course not! Who told you that?" Zuko cried defensively. But Lee shot him that look that told him there was no point in pretending; at least, not in front of him. Zuko sighed. "I wouldn't say _dreaming_."

Lee smirked.

"Shut up." Zuko snapped, looking out into the ocean with pursed lips and pink cheeks, Lee's low chuckle ringing in his ears.

The two just stared out into the ocean, letting the wind converse for them. Zuko didn't really think of anything to say, since he didn't feel the need to. He watched the moon quietly, noting that even though he was a child of the sun, he thought that the moon was far more beautiful.

"I know that you may think that women, including Katara are all crazy," Lee started.

Zuko raised a brow at him.

"Which is true," Lee said quickly. "But only to a certain extent. They're just like us guys; they get confused and don't know how to react to it all. I mean, you must know what that feels like, right?"

Zuko opened his mouth to protest, but couldn't conjure up the right lie. Lee continued.

"I have a little sister," Lee said suddenly, a small smile gracing his striking features. "Her name is Karui; she's just like Katara. Her personality, the way she speaks, the way she acts, even how she looks; even the way she can somehow summon this weird strength from inside of her, when she should be tumbling down like the rest of us."

Zuko listened intently, urging him to continue; he knew that it was not his place to speak as of now. It was strange to think that he too had a sister himself; that he had someone that he could've made one of those heart warming, close relationships with.

He shook his head, dragging himself back down to earth; they had no relationship. She was no longer his sister. She was no longer anybody, whether she lived in a padded room or not.

His full attention turned to Lee.

"It's so weird, because a similar thing happened to Katara's family happened to us," he spoke. "Our father left us long ago, and our mother was an earthbending soldier and was killed in the war. Karui was 10, I was 16."

Zuko's eyes filled with anguish. "I'm sorry..." he trailed off, and he didn't know what else to say.

Lee waved a casual hand at him and continued.

"Karui...she just stepped up. She took care of the both of us, found us a place to stay at night, haggled with merchants for food and clothes. She was a talented earthbender, _much_ more talented than I was. She had mastered earthbending single-handedly by the time she was 11, and then taught me until I had mastered it too. She then opened up small earthbending classes, where we would teach other people, and made enough money to support ourselves so that we didn't have to live on the streets anymore."

"She sounds amazing," Zuko murmured. "And 11 year old mastering an element with _no _form of a master is just...unreal."

Lee smiled at the ocean. "Yeah, I know. She had so much strength, in so many different ways. On the days where I felt I just wanted to give up, Karui was always there to give me the will to live. Though I'm the big brother, she took care of me as if I was her child."

"Sounds just like Katara," Zuko said quietly.

Lee shook his head, chuckling. "You have _no_ idea! If it wasn't for Karui...there's no way I would be here right now. "

There was a pause on both of their parts, and Zuko glanced at Lee from the corner of his eye. He was gazing off into the distance with a small smile on his face, but Zuko could see through it; the anguish un-earthed itself in his next words.

"Karui was killed when she was 13," Lee said curtly. "Some thugs had mugged her, stabbed her in the stomach. She escaped somehow, made it to our small house. But I was out teaching at the time, and came home to find her dead in our kitchen from the blood loss."

Zuko opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He only watched Lee as he licked his lips, his smile still apparent. But Zuko knew that smile; he had used it himself, many times.

It meant that you can still remember that very moment when everything changed, it meant that nothing would ever make up for what happened. It meant that no matter how many good deeds you had performed, how many wrongs you had made right, or how many things you would sacrifice for the betterment of others, in reality, nothing would change.

"Lee..." Zuko said slowly. That's all he could say.

Lee didn't wait for an apology or for the sympathy.

"When I look at Katara, it's like I can see Karui all over again. She would've been 17 last month, the same age as her; I swear, Katara is the spitting image of her! Especially the way she looks at me when I say something stupid. Looking at Katara makes me feel like I never lost Karui at all."

He paused, still not looking at Zuko.

"Sometimes I wonder what Karui would've been like by now if she were still alive; like the things she would've accomplished, the friends she would have made, the lives she would have touched. Or I wonder if she would have ever met a good guy that would be there for her in ways I couldn't, that would look after her, for _her_."

Lee turned to Zuko. "Karui never had a chance to get any of those things; but I have hope that someday, Katara will. Girls like Karui and Katara deserve good men, Zuko. Karui has been lost, but Katara still has a chance to live the life my baby sister couldn't."

"Lee, I..." Zuko said quietly, looking away. "Me and Katara...it's not meant to happen. It _can't_-"

"And who says so?" Lee questioned calmly. "You? Katara? Avatar Aang? The world?"

Zuko shook his head roughly. "We can't be together, Lee. It's not good for anyone, not her, not me, especially not Aang or the world. It's just not meant to happen; we have duties to the world that must come first, no matter what. We can't just be kids that can kiss whoever they like, whenever they like. We have obligations, other people's needs to put before us."

They were quiet for a few seconds, and the wind blew in protest to Zuko's words, but it didn't sway him. The harsh breeze whipped through their hair, whispering against their skin, and Lee's eyes softened.

"Don't wait until you loose everything to realize how much it actually meant to you, Zuko," Lee said quietly. "All I'm saying is...I think that you'd be good for her. I think you can give her what the Avatar couldn't; I think that despite these roles both of you have been forced into, you can make each other happy."

Zuko's eyes hardened; it irritated him how they talked like such things were actually possibilities.

"Yeah, well, I thought that one day I wouldn't notice my scar anymore, I thought that one day I'd be able to call Fire Lord Ozai 'Dad' again, I thought that one day I would have everything figured out," Zuko spoke sternly. "Nothing ever plays out the way we hope it does, General Lee."

Lee's back straightened.

"But nothing worth having ever comes easily, Fire Lord Zuko," Lee said softly. He turned to leave, but placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder at the last minute. "Just...think about what I said."

He left, and Zuko sighed, turning his attention to the moon again.

He tried hard to not think of her, but it didn't change the outcome.

* * *

_**Katara;**_

_When I was 6, life was at it's peak. _

_Sokka and me would play and play until it was dark outside, and then we just kept on playing. We were both too young to know the meaning of the words 'warrior' and 'master waterbender'. All that mattered was the snow, so that we could wrestle each other and now have to worry about cracking each other's heads open. _

_My father was home regularly, since the war hadn't really hit any of our allies recently; he was happy and laughing all the time and lifting me up onto his shoulders, praising me for bending one measly drop of water. He would teach Sokka how to manufacture boomerangs and let him paint warrior make up on him frequently. _

_My mother was alive and well and happy and beautiful; she would yell at us for not picking up or toys or for getting our tents messy, or when Sokka would try to sneak his sea prunes onto my plate, since he hated them back then. Though, she would laugh as I would bend snow to engulf Sokka's head, and kiss us every morning and night and tell us how she loved us more than anything. _

_My father kissed my mother a lot, which she responded to by giggling like a school girl, or if it was in front of everyone, would be shy and timid, as he would pull her to him and whisper into her ear that she was the love of his life. _

_That their children were both beautiful, thanking her for bringing them to him. __That this was all perfect, and nothing could taint any of it. That he could have all the money and mansions in the world, and would never be as happy as opposed to right here, right now._

_It was like the happy ending at the end of a perfect story; the prince married the princess, and they had two children that they loved too dearly, and they were all happy and joyous. It didn't matter if sometimes we didn't have the money for food, or that the lights and small fire would go out on the coldest of nights, when we needed it most. _

_As long as we were together, nothing could touch us. _

_We were invincible. _

_But there are some things that stories and fairy-tales don't tell you; they don't tell you that the book closes. They don't tell you that the princess is tortured to death, choosing her daughter's life over her own. They don't tell you the prince becomes distraught and hardly ever comes home; that he lies to his children, saying that he has to work, when really, he just doesn't want to see his princess everyday in their faces. _

_They don't tell you that the son and daughter stop playing; the son is strong, the daughter protects, and this is no game. They don't tell you about the sobs at night and the ground wavering arguments that would happen in the palace that had at some point, tumbled back into a tent. _

_Fairy-tales are just the first part; there's always another secret ending that you are never told about. _

_When I was 6, things were perfect. But then life ran its course, and I grew up; I came to realize that perfection is but a mere illusion caused by ignorance and naivety and natural immaturity that will one day fade away completely.  
_

_Perfection does not exist; it never did, and it never will. Yet, the word still has meaning, even though it is of no use. The real word that contradicts something as fake and pristine as perfect, is life. _

_Life is your mother dying, because of you. Life is your aching body when you collapse from exhaustion in the middle of your tent because you've worked nonstop for 28 hours, at 11 years old. Life is wanting to pull your hair out of your scalp and cry until you feel nothing, because the scent of your mother in her clothes is gone. _

_Life is waiting around for your brother to smile again, to revive normality once more, to laugh in a way that reminded you of wrestling in the snow, and pushing sea prunes from plate to plate throughout dinner time. _

_Life is glaring at your father when he utters another hollow apology that is depreciating in sincerity; it is casting aside your father and not even looking at him as he enters your tent, since you are the one who sang his sobbing son to sleep last night, not him. _

_Life is inevitable.  
_

_Because of this, every time I feel I get close to perfection again; when I get close to feeling invincible, like the rare occasions when I'm in Zuko's arms, or Zuko says my name softly, or Zuko sets my heart alive with eyes, I catapult myself back down to earth. _

_The pain of having perfection stripped from you hurts a lot less if you've never experienced it. _

* * *

_**Zuko; **  
_

_My life has been filled with many, many events; none of which being particularly pleasant. It's not like I'm not grateful or anything, of course I am; it helps me appreciate the actual good, faultless moments in my life, which I admit, are rare. _

_The last rarely beautiful, non-tangible moment was a over a year and a half ago, just before we had all left for the final battle in the Fire Nation; me and Katara were in a local market place getting some last minute items we might need for our long journey. _

_I don't even know why I was the only one with her; maybe because the rest of us were either training until they couldn't stand up anymore, or calculating the possibilty of us all dying when we reached the Fire Nation, or not thinking about buying practical things._

_Either way, it was just Katara and me; I guess being the oldest out of them all, excluding Sokka, we just wanted to get away from all of this possible-revolution-or-death talk. I guess that even if it was just for a little while, we wanted to pretend that the next week of our lives may not be the last, or that the war had never happened, or that we would have just been normal kids. _

_We were so much closer now, since we were practically up every night talking about things that scared us shitless; things we had to pretend didn't even make us flinch. _

_It was a cool evening, the sun setting, and even though my full attention was on Katara, I knew that it was beautiful; in the corner of my eye I could see the swirls or pinks and vibrant oranges. It wasn't bitter-sweet like it was when I was 14, cursing as I looked up from my ship._

_With her at my side, I finally appreciated its beauty._

_"Oooh! Mangoes for sale!" Katara had spoken a little loudly, leaning over the stall of fresh fruit. "The kids love the sorbet I make; do you think I should get some?" _

_I watched her from behind, a single strand of curly hair falling over her shoulder as she turned to look at me. My heart almost stopped, her eyes completely intoxicating me; I wondered what heart attacks felt like, and whether I had just had one. _

_"We don't have much money as it is," I had said calmly, since I didn't want to burst her ridiculously caring bubble that I admired so much. "We should invest most of the money we have in protein and carbohydrates to fill us up and give us long lasting energy." _

_Neither of us mentioned aloud that this was because we would be fighting a war in the next week or so, but we both thought it._

_"But we should have some form of high concentration glucose," she offered. "Especially at times when we will need the sugar rush for lack energy that will be no doubt be a consequence from fatigue." _

_"Then get some papaya," I had reasoned. "It's cheaper and just as sweet." _

_Her nose wrinkled, probably the most cutest thing I had ever seen. I wondered then, if I had ever actually used the word, 'cute' before. I decided not to linger on the subject. _

_"I'd rather collapse from exhaustion," she snapped. "I hate papaya!" _

_And grinned at her, and she looked a little flushed, but even to this day, I can't figure why. _

_"What a beautiful young couple!" _

_You know those moments when you just want to die from awkwardness? Like smacking your forehead again and again in hopes to erase your memory instantly? Or wanting to just walk away and pretend nothing had just happened. _

_Believe me. This was one of those moments. _

_A women stood behind the exotic fruit stall, well over 50, with this huge, cheesy grin on her face, like she had just saw a mother turtleduck and it's babies. She was clasping her hands together, her eyes darting between me and Katara, and I already dead-panned before she said anything, because knowing my luck, I knew what she was going to say anyway._

_"Those blue eyes!" she remarked, staring at Katara's face. "You're of the Water Tribe!" _

_Katara stammered, blinking rapidly. "Erm, yes..." _

_"And you!" she pointed to me, and I gritted my teeth, feeling my cheeks heat up. "Those golden eyes and lunar skin of yours; you must be of the Fire Nation!" _

_"E-Err..." was all I could say. It didn't matter, since I didn't even need to say anything; she was talking enough for the three of us._

_"Oh, what a magnificent and beautiful couple you two make!" she cheered. "I havn't seen such a pairing in all my life! It's like the visual aid to the word harmony! Fire and Water, loving and living together!" _

_"Erm...We aren't-" Katara tried, but there was no point._

_"And just think of the beautiful children you will bear, my child!" the lady ushered to Katara. She squirmed under the women's gaze, her cheeks just as red as mine, and we didn't look at each other. "Your children will certainly be the most beautiful flowers among the many fields of the earth; they must be, since their parents are breath-taking together!" _

_"Erm..." Katara said quietly. Her cheeks were as red as the campfires I lit at night._

_"But enough of my chatter!" the women spoke, finally. "What can I serve you for, my dears?" _

_"Erm...we wanted some mangoes, but..." Katara trailed off, glancing at the price on the board next to them; her cheeks were still pink, and it made me smile at her. "But our budget doesn't quite cut it. Sorry for wasting your time!" _

_"Oh, don't be silly, my dear!" the women spoke softly. "Just name the price, and it will be yours and and your husband's to enjoy tonight!" _

_Katara's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to protest, but I stepped in. I was trying to fool myself; it was an offer that could be greatly taken advantage of, a primary source of glucose that all of us needed, money that we would save on by the bag full. _

_I slipped next to her, intertwining my hand in hers. Her fingers were cold against mine, but it didn't bother me much; I actually kind of liked it, the way it cooled me down. I raised the back of her hand to my lips and pressed a soft kiss onto her mocha skin, pulling her closer to my side. _

_Katara was stunned, bewildered flabbergasted; her eyes were wide and staring at me like I was crazy, her cheeks so red they matched the colour of my torso, I swear. I liked her hand in mine; it felt nice. It felt right._

_"Please, your cheapest I beg," I spoke as charmingly as I could, which I guess was not that charming at all. "My wife's too kind to haggle; but that's the patient and caring soul I fell in love with, after all." _

_Katara spluttered, her mouth gaping at me; she couldn't even speak, which worked out better. _

_"Oh!" the women cooed, her hands clasped together again, her head tilting as she watched us. "What a caring husband you have, my child! This is surely true love at its greatest!" _

_I think Katara attempted to speak, because these weird badger-mole sounds started coming from her mouth, like she was trying to say words but they weren't forming properly. She still looked at me like I was insane. _

_I placed a hand softly onto her lower stomach too, looking at it with eyes as soft as I could muster. _

_"We're also expecting," I said quietly. "A healthy diet consisting of these lovely mangoes would surely only help my daughter and wife grow stronger as the months pass." _

_Katara made another badger-mole noise. _

_"Zuko!" she hissed into my ear. "What the hell are y-"_

_I pulled her closer to me before she could say anymore, smiling sweetly at the women in front of us, who I worried would practically topple over with the amount affection in her coos and 'aww's._

_"Oh, you two!" she cried, her voice cracking. She wiped at her glistening eyes. "Never in my life have I seen something so precious and radiantly beautiful! You are doing nothing but good for this world, bringing a child into it born in complete harmony between you!" _

_"Yes, we're both very excited," I spoke, my smile wide. "This is our first!"_

_"I may even through in some passion fruits for you!" the women smiled brightly. _

_I guessed that Katara must have liked passion fruit, because she slid her arm around my waist, pressing her body to mine. She then lifted her head up and stood on the tips of her toes and pressed a soft kiss against my jaw. Her lips were so soft, so warm. Her nose brushed against my ear._

_I blinked like crazy, since I thought I had just imagined it, and stared down at her, and her cheeks were still blushing as she leaned her head against my chest. Now I was _sure_ I just had a heart attack._

_Katara laid her hand over mine, which was still on her lower abdomen. "The first months aren't easy; but the passion fruit and mango sorbet my husband makes almost takes all the pain away instantly! Maybe it's my undying love for him, or his secret ingredient of ginger and mint; I'm still not sure!" _

_"Oh, my dears!" the women cried, her eyes glistening again. "Wait here for no longer than a moment, and I'll being you 2 boxes of mangoes and passion fruit each!" _

_"But we have no such money, Ma'am," Katara spoke apologetically._

_"For a couple as fine and dear as you? And not to mention expecting? No charge, my children!" she cried, before rushing off and gathering the fruits like it was her last day on earth. _

_"You're pretty sneaky," I whispered into her hair. _

_"Me sneaky? I wasn't the one pretending my so called 'wife' is with child!" she hissed, but I could hear her smile. _

_My arm tightened around her, and she sighed; not exasperated or exhausted or sick of sleepless nights and the inability to be selfish, but content. I'm not sure what for; but I know that that sigh was content._

_"Here you are, my lovelies!" the women cried, popping back in front of us and handing me the bags. "Don't let your wife carry these! They're heavy!" _

_"I wouldn't dream of it!" I said, taking the bag from her with my free hand. "Thank you so much, Ma'am; I'll be sure to speak of you tonight as I read to my unborn daughter." _

_The women giggled at the both of us, waving goodbye as left. _

_We stayed together like that, laughing once we were out of eat shot, but we didn't move apart. We laughed and joked and then laughed some more, but we pulled away from each other as we neared the Western Air Temple. _

_Though that moment didn't even last 10 minutes, though it was completely fake and full of bullshit, I had never been quite as content; with Katara on my arm, pretending her mother's necklace was a betrothal one that I had given her, with our fake baby inside of her. _

_All I know is, that the second she distanced herself from me and took the bag of fruits and all of other goods we had gotten to go and start on dinner and make sorbet, my stomach sank a little. _

* * *

Next chapter will probably up in about a week-ish; exams and blaaahh...that's why this update was so late; sorry!

LOL the women at the fruit stall was a Zutara Shipper or what? :P

NEXT: we arrive it Ba Sing Se.

*_Oooohh's_ and _Aaaaaah's _from the non-existing audience*

Pleaaaasee review!

Have a weird and wonderful day/night, depending where you are and when you're reading this!

- Yin


	12. Chapter 11

My my my, too many exams! Wearing me out! :\

Not much of an intro...sorry!

I'm starting off this chapter with kiwi slices and Zuko in his boxers...did you know I'm allergic to kiwis? :D But it's okay, I'm not allergic to Zuko in boxers; which is always a great thing :)

Read and review, sweethearts! ^_^

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Zuko groaned loudly, rolling over in his bed. It was one of those rare occasions when he was so comfortable, he felt like giving up all of his duties as Fire Lord to just dedicate his life to sleeping. Despite this, the beautifully comfortable moment was ruined by his now full bladder.

He dragged himself out of bed, he didn't even glance at the clock since he knew it had just struck a time that was so late, it wasn't even worth contemplating. He shivered, but was too lazy to throw a shirt on over his bare broad chest; pants also proved to be too much effort.

Dragging his feet as he left his room and roaming down the corridor in nothing but his boxers, Zuko muttered viciously about how a certain waterbender could ruin the water supply in his en suite within just a few days of being aboard the ship.

She had completely blown up and over-analysed him eating the last piece of kiwi at breakfast, and Zuko now knew for a fact now that all girls were definitely crazy.

It didn't matter much, since she had spent the next couple of days in her room, for reasons that no one knew about; Iroh had made sure that neither of them were allowed to take paperwork with them to Ba Sing Se to do, in fear that it would, 'ruin the relaxation process.'

It was a ridiculously harsh punishment, he contemplated inwardly; yet, now every morning he would offer her kiwi slices before he himself would eat any, just to be sure. It didn't even make any sense, since it meant that her own en suite wouldn't have water supply either, since it traveled through the same pipe system, meaning that they would both have to use the main bathroom.

Zuko still remembered their ridiculous argument yesterday; it only struck him now that none of the crew even acknowledged their fighting. On the contrary, they would snigger and smirk as they walked passed the bickering duo.

_"What's the point of cutting off my water supply?" He cried. "You can't get any water to your en suite either, rendering it just as useless as mine! Neither of us is winning, here!"_

_"I'd much rather not have water knowing that you won't have it either!" Katara spat, blue eyes alive and wild with anger. "And it's not about winning; it's about showing you that we are both equal!" _

_"I _know _that we're both equal! It's pretty obvious!" He yelled. "I can't believe you're getting so mad about a stupid piece of kiwi!" _

_"It's not about the kiwi!" She screamed. "It's about what the kiwi represents!" _

_"It doesn't represent _anything_!" He screamed from frustration. "It's _fruit_!" _

_"Do you think I'm stupid?" Katara seethed. "That I'm some naive little girl? Don't think you can just pull the wool over my eyes! You think you're better than me and that you can treat me like platypus-bear shit anytime you want! Well guess what, 'oh mighty Fire Lord'; I'm not some submissive push over that will let you treat me like a freakin' tiger-bear door mat!" _

_Zuko cried out in frustration pulling his hair so roughly it hurt. _

_"What _is _it with you!" He screamed at her. "I only ate that kiwi because I was hungry! I don't think I'm better than you! I never have and I never will! Why are you so proud and stubborn? I don't even like kiwi that much!" _

_"_Exactly!" _Katara screamed. "You ate that kiwi especially to assert your non existent 'authority' over me like I'm some stupid, ignorant kid! Well, I'm not falling for it!" _

_"There's nothing to fall for!" Zuko yelled at her. _

_"That's just what you want me to believe!" She screamed at him. _

Zuko sighed just thinking about it; he had gotten mad over a lot of things in his life, but nothing made his blood boil quite as much Katara. It's like she was an extra-terrestrial, speaking a different language altogether. He knew that there was a part of her he would never understand, no matter how long he knew her.

He had finally reached the bathroom, and he turned the door handle, but it wouldn't budge. He applied some more force, maybe an unnecessary amount (this being due to his urinary discomfort), and the door swung open forcefully, slamming into the wall of the bathroom.

Steam gushed out, revealing Katara standing in the middle of the room with a towel wrapped hurriedly around her naked mocha figure, her cheeks red, her eyes looking unnaturally murderous. Her hair was soaking wet, the droplets of water running down her arms hurriedly since she had just gotten out of the shower.

Zuko cheeks heated up, his golden eyes suddenly alert. His mouth gaped, the blood from his face draining at the situation of it all. He was speechless, staring at her. His brain started to fumble, trying to pull itself out of the state it had been from REM sleep, but was failing quite miserably.

Katara was livid.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" She bellowed at him.

"Th-The door was stuck!" Zuko cried loudly, his mind going blank.

"THAT'S BECAUSE IT WAS _LOCKED,_ YOU IDIOT!" She screamed at him, so loud that his eardrums throbbed. "DON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO KNOCK?"

"E-Err..." was all Zuko could muster, still staring at her. Her blue eyes awoke him instantly, completely condemning him to their mercy. They were so vivid and strong against the pristine white tiles of the large bathroom, taking his breath away at the sight of them.

"STOP LOOKING AT ME, YOU _JERK_!" she yelled, pulling the towel closer to her body. "GET OUT!"

Zuko eyes widened. "N-No! NO!" he cried desperately. "I was looking at your _eyes_! Not at your..."

His gaze wandered down the length of her body, and his cheeks heated up even more. But Katara was too quick, raising her hand and instantly changed the state of the steam into water, and sent it hurtling at Zuko.

He was unprepared and shocked as the full force of the water slammed into his body like bricks, throwing him against the back wall of the corridor. His body smashed against the metal wall, denting it considerably.

Zuko groaned and spluttered, before loosing consciousness. The last thing he remembered was the slam of the bathroom door in front of him, and the growls of Katara inside the room as she froze the now broken door shut to the wall.

* * *

Zuko woke up the next morning in his bed, making him think he had gone insane. But he could've sworn that those eyes of hers were real last night, looking at him as if she was refraining herself was stopping the blood supply to his heart entirely.

By the time he had gotten to the dining room he had somehow convinced himself that it all must have been some strange, extremely vivid, _extremely _painful dream; his body still hurt from colliding with the wall, but no where near as much as he expected it to.

He didn't notice the whispers of the crew men, or the brow Lee raised at him when he walked in. All he noticed was that Katara was already at the fruit table, her back to him, helping herself to a generous portion of passion fruit and raspberries.

He tried to shake the image of of her petrifying eyes out of his mind, or the feeling of his body being thrown so ferociously against the steel wall, or the way the hem of the towel on her thigh rose a little before she summoned water to slam the door shut before he had passed out.

But none of this mattered, since it was a dream anyway; he scolded himself inwardly for his stupidity. He approached her, picking up a bowl himself before greeting the young master.

"Good morning," he spoke in his deep voice. "Did you sleep well?"

Katara stopped mid-serve, her head snapping to him so quickly, Zuko thought he had heard a crack. Her eyes were dangerous and electric as they glared at him, and he could see her gritting her teeth, her delicate jaw tensing furiously mercifully.

"Is that supposed be some kind of joke?" she spat crudely.

"N-No..." Zuko said slowly, his face creasing in confusion. "What are you mad at me for this time?"

Katara threw the spoon onto the table, slamming her full bowl of fruit onto it as well. Her gaze was deadly, so sharp, so wild. It scared him beyond comprehension, to say the least.

"Why do you _think _I'm mad, asshole?" she spat in a low hiss. "You walked in on me in the bathroom last night, broke the door, dented the wall, _both_ of which I had to fix, and then fell unconscious so that I had to drag your massive lump of a body all the way back to your room in the middle of the night so that nobody would have found out what happened!"

Zuko cocked his head back, his golden eyes making her waver on the inside, but not on the outside. He blinked rapidly at her words, until his eyes brows suddenly rose from realization.

"Wait, that was real?" he questioned, surprise riddling his voice. "I thought that was a dream?"

Katara growled, and the fruit on the table shriveled; the moisture from the water within it dropped considerably, as Katara clenched her fists so hard, Zuko could hear her knuckles crack.

"OF COURSE IT WAS REAL, YOU _JERK_!" she bellowed at him, turning the heads of all of the crew.

"Shut _up_!" Zuko hissed at her, grabbing her wrist. "The whole damn ship can hear you! Just calm down!"

The fruit had completely shriveled from dehydration, water rising from it; Katara fumed at Zuko, the water droplets above the large bowl of fruit clumping together in a huge, deadly heap.

She opened her mouth to scream at him even further, but he yanked her wrist to him, dragging her out of the dining hall and onto the back deck of the ship, away from all of crew. She snatched her wrist away from him, bearing her teeth a little as she glared.

The sea started to hit the boat unsteadily, and Zuko wondered whether bringing her out here was the right thing to do. Her hair whipped in the morning breeze gently, caressing her face, and though he was afraid, Zuko's eyes never left her.

"Don't tell me to _calm __down_!" She yelled at him. "I've barely had any sleep, I'm exhausted! I had to fix the door, the wall, and your stupid body all in one night!"

"Oh, so _that's_ why it doesn't hurt that much!" Zuko cried, raising his hand behind his shoulder, which was still throbbing a little as he attempted to massage it. "Was it bad? I don't bruise that easy."

Katara scoffed, folding her arms. "Let's just say your back was the colour of the kiwis and blueberries in the fruit bowl just now; you were thrown against metal, so I would expect nothing less. I didn't heal you completely, though."

"Why not?" he questioned a little loudly.

Her eyes narrowed even further. "I wanted you to feel _some_ pain, at least."

Zuko flinched. "Look, I'm sorry about what happened last night..." he trailed off, looking away, hiding his pink cheeks. "It was an accident. But I appreciate you cleaning up all the mess; I can't even imagine what would happen if the crew would've found out I...walked in on you."

Katara huffed, her eyes never leaving him. "You better be! Do you know how hard it is to fix metal when you're not a metal or earthbender?"

Zuko bit his lip apologetically. "How'd you do it? And I said I'm sorry!"

"I had to cut into the metal wall with water, and then freeze it behind the dent to push it back out," she explained evenly. "The door wasn't as bad, at least. And don't think you can get off the hook with just an apology!"

"Well what else am I supposed to do?" Zuko cried.

"Oh, I don't know; how about _not _breaking into a clearly locked bathroom in the middle of the night whilst _some _people decide to take their showers!" she cried. "I mean, jeez, the only time I get a break and you decide to just waltz in like that!"

"I said I'm _sorry_!" Zuko cried again, his cheeks still pinkened; but this didn't matter much, since Katara's were considerably pink, too. He paused. "What were you having a break from last night?"

Katara blinked, turning away a little. "Erm..."

Zuko raised an eyebrow, piecing the information together. "You were in your room for the whole day, you didn't even have lunch yesterday. And you only had the chance to bathe in the middle of the night..."

Katara squirmed a little, her mind going blank. "Err..."

Zuko's mouth gaped open, pointing an accusing finger at her. "You smuggled in paperwork!"

Katara's cheeks grew even pinker. "I did _not_!"

He narrowed his eyes at her.

Katara threw her arms in the air. "Okay! Fine, I did!" she cried. "I made copies so that I could keep on track with the work and so that I wouldn't waste any time whilst I was in Ba Sing Se, doing nothing for 5 days!"

"We're supposed to relax, Katara!" Zuko exclaimed. "You can't do that whilst doing paperwork; trust me, I know better than anyone! I can't believe you lied to Uncle like that!"

"I didn't _lie_," she spoke desperately. "I just...didn't say that I bent the rules a little!"

"_That's _why you were telling the crew to take care of your bag when we were docking!" Zuko realized. "There were no medical herbs in your bag, were there? It was just filled with paperwork!"

Katara pouted, and paused for a second. He was distractingly attractive, so much so that she forgot what she wanted to say; his messy hair flipping in the wind like that, his toned, muscled arms folded as he shook his head at her disapprovingly.

She opened her mouth to say something, but he darted across the deck, and passed her so quickly she barely had time to look after him. She narrowed her eyes in confusion, but then it hit her.

He was after the paperwork in her room.

"ZUKO! GET BACK HERE!" she screamed, running full speed after him.

But he had already made it inside, since he had a head start, and so she knew it was impossible to catch up with him. But she looked to her side and grinned as she saw the horizon of the sea go on for so long, her senses ached a little.

Katara whipped her arms in the air and summoned water to her feet, before using the water to force her entire body at a lightening pace inside the the ship, sliding and skidding as she turned corridors.

Zuko could feel the vibrations on the metal, something he had learned from Toph; Katara was approaching rapidly, and she had water with her, which put her at an instant advantage.

Chanelling fire to his own running feet, Zuko flicked his arms widely as he glided against the metal, leaving a trail of sparks behind him as he went, only t be distinguished half a second later by Katara, who followed closely.

It didn't matter much anymore, because he was at her room now, barging the door open, revealing her disheveled desk to the side of the room, documents and scrolls laid about messily all over it.

Zuko rushed over to it and started to gather what he could into his hands to dispose of it, but Katara was there behind him within seconds, tackling him to the floor, papers, scrolls and documents flying in the air.

She pinned him to the ground, growling above him. "Don't you dare touch any of it!" she screamed. "I spent all day doing that! It will take me ages to start it all again when we return to the Fire Nation!"

"You're not even a quarter way through it!" Zuko screamed back below her, her hair tickling his face as it fell on him. He used his body weight to roll her over, covering her body with his, pinning her wrists to the ground.

"You keep that paperwork here and that's all you'll think about! Trust me, I know! There's no way you're going to enjoy Ba Sing Se huddled up in your room the whole time!" he scolded loudly.

She struggled under him ferociously, glaring up at him, cursing his natural strength that overpowered her petite body. "It doesn't matter! Just don't touch it, I've spent too long on it already! Some of those documents took me hours to sort through!"

She whipped her feet in a circular motion like a firebender, a technique she had learnt from Zuko himself, and summoned water from the air to knock his body off of her. It worked, and Zuko was flung off of her and landed in the pile of paperwork on the floor adjacent to her.

His eyes were then alive with thought, as he heated up his body to an abnormal temperature. Katara could smell burning, but realized it was too late; Zuko had burned the documents he was lying on instantly. He then reached out and touched the desk he lay next to setting it alight with fire in the middle of Katara's bedroom. She gaped as the bright bright oranges filled the room, feeding off of the wood of her table, lighting the room up and gradually filling it with smoke.

"YOU BURNT MY DESK!" she cried, enraged just as much as the fire.

Zuko couldn't help but smirk as he sat up, earning a deadly glare from her. His words were coated with sarcasm. "Oops, my bad."

Katara lost it; she jumped onto Zuko with all of her body weight and pinched his skin, pulled his hair, kicked his ankles, doing anything that would make him wince and cry out in pain.

She succeeded, since Zuko cried out as she 'tortured' him. He tried to roll her off of him, or sit on her, pin her wrists to the ground again, anything to stop her from lashing out at him.

But she was a _lot _stronger than he had thought, which only caused the pair to roll around the room, Katara elbowing, kicking and pinching, Zuko crying out and trying to flatten her with his body weight, failing miserably, the table completely crackling with fire similtaneously.

After smelling the smoke, Lee and the entire crew were at the scene within minutes, standing in the doorway, muttering worriedly before Lee strode in front of them. The wrestling pair didn't even acknowledge their existence in the doorway.

Lee and the crew found Katara hitting Zuko, then Zuko rolling on top of Katara, then Katara using her knees to pin Zuko's waist together with such force that he screamed, before rolling him over and pulling his hair, then Zuko tried to pin her wrists to the floor, which sort of worked until-

"OW!" Zuko screamed, turning to Katara as she pulled away from his shoulder. "YOU BIT ME!"

"YOU DESERVED IT!" She yelled, her eyes raging, her breath ragged and panting beneath him. She glared up at him, squirming as she tried to free her wrists from his insanely powerful grip.

"Ha! What'cha gonna do now?" Zuko mocked.

Katara growled, before ramming the back of her heel into Zuko's calf and thigh, causing him to jolt and scream in pain. She used this to her advantage and rolled upon him, pushing his shoulders onto the floor with all the strength she had, which, Zuko now knew, was a lot.

"I can't believe you _set my table on fire_!" she screamed down at him. "I spent an entire day doing that paperwork and now it's all just ash; along with my desk! What gives you the right to just take away everything I've worked on?"

"I only burnt it with _your_ best interest at heart!" Zuko retorted. "At least now you can finally relax!"

"Or maybe I can just kill you instead!"

"Maybe you will, sitting on me like this!"

"Are you saying I'm fat?"

"No! I...-OW! STOP _BITING_ ME!"

"KATARA! ZUKO!"

The two young masters turned their gaze up to General Lee who stood above them as they sat in a mess on the floor; he looked stern, his apple green eyes aglow from the reflection of Katara's burning table, his hands on his hips as he stood over them.

He pointed to the burning table. "Put that out, one of you! Or the whole ship will burn down!"

"Well, actually General, the ship is made of metal, so it won't 'burn down'..." one of the crew spoke from the doorway. Lee shot a glare him, which made the crew member shut up instantly.

Katara looked at Lee for a second, before turning her gaze back down to Zuko. He panted under her, glaring at her a little, his hair disheveled beyond compare, definite bruises coursing his entire body, and very prominent bite marks on the swift arc of his broad shoulders.

Katara huffed in frustration, climbing off of him and getting to her feet. She didn't even look as she drew water from the air in one hand and sprayed it in the form of thick steam over the table. The fire eased, and was then out completely, calming the inner worries of Lee and the crew.

She turned to them in the doorway, trying to forget that her hair was messy and all over the place, her clothes wrinkled and lay disheveled on her body. Nevertheless, she tried to adopt composure once more.

"I'm sorry for the disturbance," she spoke evenly. "Me and Fire Lord Zuko had a little...dispute."

"'Little dispute' my ass!" Zuko cried, getting to his feet unsteadily, wincing at the injuries. "I have friggin' bite marks, Katara!"

She whipped round to him, fuming instantly. "Well no one asked for your input! If you don't mind, I'm _trying _to apologize here!"

"_Everyone_ wants my input! I'm the Fire Lord!"

"Well I don't!"

"Ooh, that's a shocker."

"Shut up, or I swear to Agni I'll bite you again!"

"...You wouldn't."

"_Try me_."

* * *

Zuko winced, pulling his shirt over his head and throwing it across the room. His muscles ached from the bruises this morning, and the thought of sleep allured him to no end. Exhaustion was an understatement; being in the same confinement as Katara all day was like labor.

But he thought of her static, electric blue eyes; her long curly black hair that was always so spontaneously messy as it fell over her back loosely. He knew then that arguing with her every second of the day wasn't completely terrible; hell, at least he could look at her some more, even if she did make his blood boil.

Though they bickered constantly, he wasn't blind to the change in her; it was slight and minuscule, almost non-existent, but there all the same. Seven months ago, she would barely even look at him unless she absolutely had to; at least now, she stared him right in the face as she screamed at him.

And that was progress...right?

Zuko sighed, and with a flick of his wrist, the candles in the room were all extinguished. He was too tired to try to figure her out tonight, his muscles too sore, the bite marks on his shoulder raw and gaping, one of them a little bloody, still.

He closed his eyes as he rested his head in what felt like a long time, and he savored this moment, since it was definitely his favorite part of the day, excluding the bickers he had with Katara; even if she did raise his blood pressure with every argument, the thrill of her eyes on him was a strangely addictive one.

Zuko rolled over, trying to shake her out of his mind, but he should've known it wouldn't work. Nevertheless, drowsiness overcame him, and his body finally relaxed into his bed. It wasn't as good as his bed back in the Fire Nation, but definitely a great substitute.

The knock at the door that followed was sharp and stern; Zuko growled, the duvet flying off of his exposed body, which consisted yet again of just his underwear as he opened the door angrily.

"_What?_" he asked with gritted teeth, not caring if the crew member behind the door ran away at the embers that erupted from his nose.

But he should've known his luck; he should have calculated just how cold that knock was, for Katara was standing there in his doorway. She was clad in a ridiculously over-sized t-shirt and shorts, her hair completely down and untamed, the frown on her face not hiding the intensity of her azure eyes against the dim lighting of the hall. He didn't want to admit how clearly beautiful she looked then, even though she was in her (adorable) nightwear.

"Katara?" he asked, wondering why he was surprised. "What's wrong?"

Her eyes narrowed. "My room smells like smoke!"

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "And you're telling me this because...?"

"Because it's _your_ fault!" she growled. "What's left of my desk reeks of smoke, Zuko! Do you know how dangerous that is for your lungs if inhaled consistently? I've stayed out of my room all day 'cause I thought it would clear itself up, but obviously it hasn't!"

"So...what am I supposed to do about it?" Zuko questioned sleepily.

"Fix it!" she cried, but then lowered her voice, remember how late it was. "If you hadn't set my desk on fire, I would still have somewhere to sleep!"

Zuko watched her as she too watched him expectantly; she folded her arms, her eyes never leaving his, boring into him, slicing through him like knife. He looked over his shoulder into his room and sighed, bidding a silent farewell to a good night's sleep.

"I'm sorry," he spoke in his low voice sincerely. "You can sleep in my bed for tonight, I guess; or until your room is habitable again."

Katara raised a brow. "Where will you sleep?"

Zuko shrugged. "I dunno, on the floor, I suppose."

She hesitated, peering into his golden eyes to find any kind of insincerity she could, desperately almost. His golden eyes engulfed her, and she realized what a rare eye colour it was, how beautiful it looked against his pale skin.

She sighed, exhaustion creeping up on her, and her arms dropped. "Thank you." she spoke quietly, and she actually meant it.

Zuko nodded in reply, opening his bedroom door and moving to the side to let her pass. Katara was about to step forward when she did a double at Zuko who stood there oh-so-innocently, clad only in his boxers.

His chest, arms and abdomen were so toned against the dim light, shadows only enhancing the swift curve of his muscles. His chest was strong, like a shield; his lower abdomen defined like rocks. The large muscle of his arms swelled at any given movement, his handsome features and charmingly messy hair rendering Katara useless.

She didn't say anything; just stood there in the doorway and stared at him, her eyes glued to his stomach, wandering occasionally to his arms. Both of their cheeks heated up, and Zuko darted behind his door.

"Sorry," he spoke, peeking his head from behind the door he hid behind, grabbing his shirt from the floor where he had thrown it earlier, pulling it over his head quickly. "I don't like sleeping in clothes; and it's not like I was expecting guests."

Katara took a long pause, blinking furiously. She could feel her cheeks heat up and she coughed loudly, hurrying over to Zuko's bed to prepare it for herself. "Well, you better get used to it," she said rather evenly. "It will be snowing by the time we get to Ba Sing Se. You can't afford to sleep clothes-less, trust me."

"Snowing? Already?" Zuko asked, his brows raised as he closed the door.

Katara nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I can't believe it either. It'll feel like I'm at the Water Tribe again, I bet; you know, minus the buildings and stuff."

"I've never really been in snow much," Zuko trailed off, grabbing some sheets from the cupboard. "I hope it's not too cold for me."

Katara smirked as she climbed into Zuko's bed, tossing him a pillow as he laid the sheets down on the floor next to her for him to sleep on. "There's no wind, so it's actually not too bad; it's just the temperature drop that might snag at you. Besides, you're a firebender; you can just use your fire breath to heat you up."

"I suppose," he murmured, laying on the sheets, wincing as his body complained against the hard floor. If bruises could cry, Zuko's were right now. "But fire breath can only work to such an extent; I'd much rather be a watebender in such a climate."

Katara smirked, laying her head down onto the pillow. "Yeah, me too."

They fell asleep rather quickly, even Zuko, adjusting rather rapidly to the floor; but sleep was a rarity in itself, so it wasn't like he would pass up on the opportunity. Katara felt the same, and they didn't have a chance to wonder why slumber came easily tonight.

But the silence of dreams, sweet and non-tangible one minute, was ruined and smeared the next, not like it was in their control; Katara awoke sure enough, just like she did every night. Screaming a little, hands pressed against her mouth so that no-one could hear her sobs, her tears trickling onto the sheets around her as her body jarred, keeling over as she cried, her eyes squeezed so shut, her head trembled.

Her mother's screams rang in her ears; the drumming foot steps of what was left of the Southern Water Tribe warriors rushing to her tent to find what was left of her. She could still see Sokka's face; dragging her away with his hands pressed against her ears so that she couldn't hear any more, eyes filled with tears that only spilt at night when no one was watching, how his body shuddered as he held her close to him.

The crack in her father's voice as he screamed out her mother's voice was too vivid for her; the sound of him lashing out at whoever he could, stumbling to the tent too desperately. He was the chief; the strongest of them all, supposedly. When he saw what was left of his spouse, he was a huddled heap of a mess in the snow, sobbing harder than she was.

From the exact moment her mother screamed at her death, was the exact moment that everything fell apart. And even to this day, Katara wonders whether it ever really fixed itself; or whether it ever would.

It took less than a second for Zuko to climb into the bed and drag her trembling body to his arms. She cried for a while, a long long while. It hurt to look at her, to say anything to her, so Zuko just pressed his cheek to her head and did neither as her tears soaked his chest.

After a while, things eased, like they always did; he laid both of them down, still not saying a word. Her body was still as he held her, and she was too numb to push him away. The horrific sights manifested in her mind still, and she was wide awake, even as he pressed her body closer to him. She didn't feel much, even so.

He didn't speak for a long while, and she silently thanked him for this. When he finally did, his thumb that was attached to the arm that clung to her stroked her hip gently, absent mindedly; not that she felt it.

"Do you dream like this every night?" he murumured into her hair.

She paused, and forgot how to lie. "Yeah."

He then paused too, breathing in her scent of the rain and something sweet. "What do you do when I'm not here?"

She blinked a couple of times, hearing, but not listening. "Lay awake until sunrise."

Zuko furrowed his eyebrows, listening to the sound of her now controlled breathing against his chest. Her hair was soft as it coiled in around his fingers on her lower back, and Zuko found it difficult to say his next words.

"Do you think these dreams will go away?" he whispered.

She thought about it, first from a medical point of view; like if a patient was admitted to her with insomnia or another significant mental health disorder, she knew that the chances of permanent recovering, given that the patient was pursuing something in their life that entailed what had stemmed the disorder, would be considerably minimal.

She then thought about it personally; about the hissing sound of her mother's flesh burning, the smell of blood she couldn't wash out of her clothes for months, Sokka covering her ears, her father's vacant stares as he would mumble a bitter apology that meant just as little to him as it did to her.

"No." she said flatly, curtly. She didn't mean to sound that way; she was just being honest.

Neither of them spoke after that; just laid there until drowsiness overwhelmed them again. In the morning, Katara had left early, and Zuko didn't quite know how to feel about it. He could still smell her on his pillow, in his duvet cover. It bare chest was still a little moist from her tears.

The night was forgotten as quickly as it had happened, and in the day they had returned to their bickering state once more. Lee or any of the other crew never questioned why Katara would have to venture into Zuko's room every night with him, or why she would leave so early in the morning, or why they didn't hear the bickering at night they had been so used to hearing in the day.

Everyone turned a blind eye, especially the two teens; hell, they were experts at it by now.

* * *

The weak passed slowly, but they approached Ba Sing Se soon enough; snow started to gently scatter itself over the ship, settling quickly, to which Katara would have to consistently wipe away at.

It coated the deck like icing, gentle and sweet; she almost felt bad about bending it swiftly off and into the sea, ruining the pretty picture it made. The snow brought nostalgia to her, something she had learned to resent since she had left the Southern Water Tribe.

Though the snow was new to Zuko, he oddly became accustomed to it; he liked the way that anywhere the snow fell, it instantly made something seem pure and beautiful. He liked the way it wasn't overbearing and blinding like the sun. He liked how it misted things over a bit, making it all seem a little less real.

He sighed as he lent against the railing of the ship on the deck, the snow settling in a light layer on his shoulders, sprinkled over his ebony hair. He looked out to the fast approaching wall of Ba Sing Se, and for the first time in a long time, thought about what Aang, Toph and Sokka were doing at that moment.

They were all in the city somewhere, he knew; him, Katara and Lee being the last to arrive there. They were so close, yet so far at the same time, in so many different ways.

It was late at night by the time the ship had docked into Ba Sing Se's newly built harbor; there was no time to explore the city or greet some war veterans, since everyone was mostly asleep, anyway.

Lee parted ways with Zuko and Katara, venturing off with a few guards to find his relatives that were waiting dutifully in their homes for him, ready to welcome him, even at such a bittersweet hour.

The two were then shown to their accommodation by a few regulated guards and hosts; a small, yet beautiful house built in the upper class part of the city. Neither of them had time to appreciate it, since drowsiness had overcome them long ago.

They both hesitated silently as they ventured into their rooms that were next to each other in the hallway, pausing before they walked inside. They turned to meet each other's gaze, both their eyes being the only thing aglow.

"Erm...goodnight," Katara said quietly, a little sleepily.

Zuko nodded, his eyes sturdy. "Sleep well." he spoke, and he really did mean it.

Katara paused, glancing at him once before hesitantly walking into her room.

"Wait," Zuko muttered, wishing he had a better way with words.

Her ears perked up, and she turned to him a little, waiting expectantly. Her lips parted in confusion a little, full and thick. Her brows were a little knitted together, but she didn't say anything.

His hair was messy as always, but particularly so tonight, probably from the exhaustion of arriving in a new city. Nevertheless, his eyes mystified her a little, more than what she was comfortable with.

"If you...if you wake up," he offered slowly, quietly, hesitantly. "Come into my room; or call me, and I'll come into yours."

Katara blinked at him, and didn't quite know what to say. So she just nodded, muttering a thanks, glancing at him one more time before venturing into her room in an attempt to get some sleep tonight.

It worked well for the first few hours, until her dreams played out the drumming footsteps and her mother's screams in her mind again. She was up and crying eventually, resuming her positions of keeling over clasping her hands to her mouth, tears running down her face and trickling onto the bed furiously.

She pressed her hands closer to her mouth, remembering what Zuko had offered her earlier, in fear that he might hear her; she would not call him, since this was a burden that was her own fault and no one elses. It was a burden that Zuko should not have to pay the price for.

His arms around her was not something she was entitled to, not something she deserved. He was not hers to ask assistance for, nor was he hers to seek comfort from. Because of this, she tried to cry as quietly as possible, her mother's scream piercing in her mind, making it even more difficult for her.

But at some point, she wasn't sure when, since her eyes were welded shut, Zuko had come into her room, probably hearing the sobs she had pathetically let escape from her mouth, even though it was covered by her hands.

His arms engulfed her, his lips in her hair.

"I told you to call me," he whispered, and his disappointment rattled her a little more than it should have.

The same things happened; she would cry, he would hold her not saying a word, then lay them down in silence as they waited for sleep to whisk them away to somewhere things were fair, where boundaries didn't hold such consequences when crossed.

They waited to go to a place where following your heart made more sense than following your head.

* * *

_**Katara;** _

_I don't really believe in luck. It just doesn't make that much sense to me. I used to, though; but I grew up. I learned that luck is just an idea spun off of a minor coincidence; it doesn't really exist. At least, not for me. _

_Agni help me, I think of all of the thugs that I have encountered since my travels started with Aang and Sokka and wonder why I'm still alive; I should've died long ago, but I guess that's one of the things that makes life worth living. _

_However, these constant assaults and attacks did actually benefit me; because of it all, I was perfectly skilled in the art of adrenaline-based survival, in those fight or fall moments when death is at a pivotal standing point in the situation. _

_But on this day, however, I was a little out of it; maybe because I knew that we would be going to the Fire Nation soon to either die, or change the world forever. Maybe it was because I had pretended to be Zuko's pregnant wife in the market place a few days ago to acquire fruits to make sorbet that still tasted a little bitter to me. _

_Maybe it was because I started to realize that my recurring nightmare wasn't easing up as much as I had wanted it to by this time. Either way, I wasn't as ready for those bandits as I should've been. _

_They crept up on us out of nowhere, which I know is not an excuse; they ambushed the Western Air Temple, whilst most of the kids were out somewhere, playing probably, only leaving me, Zuko and Aang there to defend ourselves. _

_Neither of them really had time to react, which I suppose is a good thing; 5 bandits altogether, and with a few flicks of my arms, some ducks and summer-salts thrown in occasionally, they were all unconscious. _

_Zuko and Aang just looked at me like there were horns growing out of my head, and I just rolled my eyes at them. I just waved my hand at them for them to dispose of the knocked out bodies, walking back over to continue to beat washed clothes on a rock. _

_I felt a dull pain on the side of my right leg, however, just above my knee; walking proved useless, and my body sagged to the ground, and I could feel the blood soak through my trousers, and even a part of my tunic. _

_"Katara!" Aang had cried, scared out of his wits, since he never was good with blood. "Y-Your leg!" _

_I cursed a little too savagely, plummeting to the ground, holding my bloodied leg. One of the bandits must have sliced me at one point without me even noticing, but this didn't matter to me. All that mattered was that I had been careless and clumsy, sustaining such an injury before the final battle. I cursed again, rather loudly this time, and I could feel Aang flinch behind me. _

_The next thing I know, I'm being hauled up in the air, bridal style, by arms that were far too strong to be Aang's. I snapped my head up to find Zuko looking down at me like I had done something wrong, briskly walking me over to the bedrooms. He didn't even give me time to protest._

_"Aang, go get some water for her," Zuko ordered in his deep voice, which I'm not gonna lie, was pretty damn hot. "Get some thread, too. She might not need it, but prepare it just in case." _

_"What are you doing?" I had snapped at him. "Put me down, I can walk!"_

_ He scoffed at me, and I could smell his strong, musky scent. "Yeah, sure; that massive gash is just a scratch, right?" _

_I frowned, and I knew there was no point in arguing. I considered struggling away from him, but he was too strong, and I would probably just fall on my ass anyway. He took me to my room and set me down on the bed, removing my boots and rolled up my trouser leg for me. _

_My blood was everywhere, and I actually started to register the burning, now that I could see it; it was all up my thigh and down my knees and shin, Zuko's arms now imprinted with it too. _

_He still had that look on his face like he was mad at me, and I just huffed at him, inspecting my leg. I didn't need to stitch myself, since my healing had reached a point that surpassed that. It would take a good couple of hours to heal to moving order, at least, though this was better than waiting for it to heal on its own, which would take months. _

_I wiped away at the excess blood, not wanting to bloodbend in front of Zuko. The gash was pretty deep, I must admit; I still have a pretty big scar there from when it healed. It wasn't open as much, just a dark, dark red line just above my right knee._

_ I glanced at Zuko's arm, which mimicked the crimson colour, smeared up his strong forearm. "Sorry," I managed, gesturing to his arm. _

_He rolled his eyes. "Only you could apologize for something that least matters in such a situation." _

_I narrowed my eyes at him. "What's _that _supposed to mean?" _

_"You really think your blood on my arm is my main concern right now?" he cried, gesturing to my leg. _

_That pretty much shut me up, since I didn't really know what to say. Aang appeared soon enough with a large bowl of water and needles and thread, turning pretty pale when he saw the huge cut on my leg, my blood everywhere. _

_The more I healed, knitting together skin and muscle again, the worse I felt for Aang; I know he tried to be supportive, waiting beside me to finish, but he looked like he was going to pass out any second. _

_Zuko, on the other hand, prepared my bandages and topped up my water constantly, as well as clearing up some of the blood that was on my clothes or had managed to get on the floor. I peered at Aang. _

_"It's okay," I said gently. "You can go. I've got this, you know I have." _

_Aang was still hesitant. "No, it's okay..." _

_I smiled at him. "It's fine, don't worry," I paused. "I have Zuko here to take care of me anyways; you know, just in case I topple over from blood loss or something." _

_It was only a joke, but Aang looked petrified. _

_"Go, Aang," Zuko uttered, probably noting his pale face. "She can take of herself, and I'll take care of anything else she misses, if she ever does." _

_After a bit more persuasion, Aang left, and I knew he was a little relieved; if he stayed any longer, he definitely would have fainted. I continued to heal, the water soothing the burning pain, Zuko waiting patiently beside me. _

_After a while, all of a sudden, he spoke. "You have some blood on your cheek." _

_I turned to him, raising a brow before wiping randomly at my face with the back of my hand. "How'd I get it on my face?" _

_"Beats me." Zuko smirked, elevating my heart rate a little. _

_"Did I get it?" I asked, tilting my head about. _

_He grinned at me, making my cheeks heat up. "Not even close." _

_He wet a scrap piece of bandage, since my hands were otherwise occupied with my leg, and stoked away at the dried blood at my cheek. I never had him pinned as the gentle type, but I did after this gesture. His hands were warm, and softer than I thought they would be. It scared me that I quite liked the attention; but only because it was from him. _

_I didn't look at him after that._

_It was a full 3 hours before I had finished up on my leg, and Zuko had to help me walk to the open space outside. My cut was healed enough for working, but Zuko refused to let me cook, clean or do any form of laundry; in fact, he did it all himself. _

_No one commented, so I didn't either. It was strange, since before when I would injure myself, I had become accustomed to just sucking it up and trudging through, since Aang, Sokka and Toph couldn't care for themselves to save their lives. _

_But this time, I was being taken care of, for the first time since my mother died. I didn't know how to feel about it, or how to react to it, so I just tried to put it aside and hoped it would go away, before I could get angry or used to it. _

_Besides, he was actually a good cook. _

* * *

**_Zuko;_**

_It was late at night, and I shouldn't have been awake; but nothing happens in life like it should. I had ventured out to do...I dunno, something, anything. Something other than cooping myself up in my room, over thinking about everything at Agni knows what time at night. _

_Like what would happen in the final battle, whether I could handle it, if I would ever make a good Fire Lord, whether Katara's leg was okay from earlier today, whether Katara herself was okay, whether I should go check up on her, or how my mind had even wandered to her in the first place. _

_But I was beaten to the chase because I found Katara already sitting there above the temple, staring out into the open land, a bowl of the stew I had made earlier for dinner on her lap as she ate it, a thoughtful look on her face. _

_I must've surprised her, because she jumped when I spoke. "Really? Eating in the middle of the night?" _

_She only grinned at me, and my heart soared. "I already finished the last of the sorbet; besides, this is actually pretty good." _

_I smiled at her, sitting down next to her. The breeze was gentle that night, the half moon watched us with a smile, though really, there was nothing to smile about. Nevertheless, I smiled back. _

_"Thanks," I said quietly. "My mother taught me how to make it." _

_Katara paused, and I knew her eyes were on me. If there was one thing me or Katara would ever be on the same page on, if anything, it would be the talk of mothers, or broken families we didn't know how to fix. _

_"She must have been an amazing cook to make this," she replied. _

_I smile as I remember her, which doesn't happen often. "Yeah, she really was." _

_We talked, then, throughout the night; like we always did. Talking to Katara was and still is so easy, too easy; I'm never forced to feel uncomfortable or informal, or forced to be something I'm not. _

_Even if she hates what I'm saying, she respects it; which is more than what I could've asked from anyone I have ever met before in my life. She had this weird quality about her, a quality I couldn't quite put my finger on. _

_It doesn't matter though, as long as it's there._

* * *

Oh my, it's rather late...2:31, to be exact!

A review for my troubles would be much appreciated :)

Have a wondrous day; and I actually mean it!

- Yin


	13. Chapter 12

...You know what I was thinking today? That in the world of ATLA, people who live in the Water Tribes are darker skinned, though they live in the North and South poles, where there is little to no sun.

But people who live in the Fire Nation, who are constantly exposed to the sun, are totally pale.

Double-you-tee-eff.

Makes no sense.

Despite my confusion, here is chapter 12 :)

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Zuko stirred, feeling that the warmth in his arms was no longer present.

He opened his eyes lazily, peering at the space next to him where he knew Katara had laid. The sheets and pillow were wrinkled where she once was, and remained hollow and vacant, no matter how long he stared. He could still smell her in them, intoxicating him.

He laid there for a few minutes, before flinging the sheets off of him, staggering out of bed. He shivered, wishing he had put on some nightwear rather than sleeping in his underwear like he always did, since the skies of Ba Sing Se outside were already snowing.

He finally registered the beautiful simplicity of the house that the Earth King had loaned to them; now that he was well rested and it wasn't the middle of the night. It was quaint, petite even, yet had the features of that of a mansion.

Creamy whites and pale greens were the main colour scheme; the beds, towels and even kitchen utensils and bathroom equipment matching them. The smaller things, like framework and cupboards were all that of a what belonged to citizen of upper class.

But Zuko realized he was paying too much attention to such things, as he pulled on some old clothes and ventured downstairs to find Katara. But it all ceased, soon enough, as his gaze set on her.

It wasn't that she was particularly well kept, or intended to look so beautiful; but that was exactly what made her so. He hair was unruly, curls wild and untamed. Her nightwear simple and far too big for her, electric blue eyes alive, lips parted as she concentrated on the breakfast she made.

She petite against the fairly large kitchen, a small dining table a couple of paces behind her. She had on huge fluffy socks that looked like paws from the size of it, and her hair was brushing against the arc of her jaw.

He walked into the kitchen, forgetting last night light like he always did. They were accustomed to it now; her nightmares were something that was dealt with and forgotten the next morning, because Agni forbid if they ever try to look into such emotions.

"Good morning," Zuko spoke lazily, drowsiness still coursing through him.

She glanced at him, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips without her consent. His hair was the most messy she had ever seen it, standing on end, almost, but it only added to his already powerful charm. Zuko's old maroon t-shirt clung to his swollen muscles, golden eyes hazy from the early morning. She ignored the flutter of her heart at the sound of his deep voice, noting that his masculinity charmed her too severly.

"Good morning, oh mighty Fire Lord," she greeted, turning back to the stove, plating up the eggs she had cooked.

Zuko grinned, setting the table for her. "So what's the plan for today, Lady Katara?"

Katara smiled down at the eggs as she prepared them. She turned abruptly to place them on the table, but Zuko was already up close and in front of her, so close that she could smell his addictive scent, making her cheeks blush.

She coughed awkwardly and handed him a plate, both of them walking to sit opposite each other at the small table. Katara decided she liked this house; it was sweet and cosy, more like a home than a guest house. She might even miss it when she left.

"Well, literally anything," she answered, taking a bite into her eggs, peering at him. "We have no schedule; no meetings, no paperwork, nothing. I kind of don't know what to do with myself..."

Zuko sipped his juice thoughtfully, not wanting to look her in the eye in fear that he might be rendered speechless; or worse, start blushing like an idiot.

"Maybe that's a good thing," he said, the rasp in his voice stirring something in her. "Ba Sing Se is at our feet! We should do something...unexpected and...fun!"

Katara scoffed into her drink. "Fun?" she mocked. "I don't remember how that works anymore. Besides, your birthday is tomorrow; we'll have plenty of fun, trust me."

Zuko blinked, and now he had to look at her, pink cheeks and all. He almost a 19 year old boy, or should he say, man, with a beautiful girl talking about the pretext of 'fun'. Agni knows what was going on in his head, no matter how oblivious Katara was to it.

"Erm...I'm not going to comment," he said slowly, pushing inappropriate thoughts aside. "Then maybe we should take a lazy day. You know, do absolutely nothing until we're bored shitless. And then continue to do nothing."

Katara was grinning, humming thoughtfully as she too sipped her juice. "Well, being bored shitless _does _sound pretty alluring..."

"Lazy day it is, then," Zuko concluded, taking a bite of his eggs. "So, what shall we do first? Do nothing or...do nothing?"

"I think nothing sounds good," Katara spoke, smirking. "But lets go out for a walk or something; I want to see the city, and maybe throw a few snowballs at you. Hopefully the latter."

"But won't anyone know who we are?" Zuko asked, ignoring her comment.

"No, I made sure with the Earth King that nobody would know of our arrival," she spoke. "If anyone heard, we wouldn't be left alone for even second. Not to mention the rebels in the city, who might use the fact that the Fire Lord and commander of the Four Nations army are within reach, to their advantage."

"That makes a lot more sense," Zuko replied. "I was wondering why were weren't being bombarded with citizens by now, or why this house was assigned to us in such a populated area."

Katara played with her food thoughtfully. "It's nice, though...being like a normal kid for once. It's been so long, I've forgotten how."

Zuko sighed. "Me too," he spoke quietly. "But I guess it helps us appreciate it more, you know? Without all of the chaos, I doubt whether the peaceful moments would really mean as much."

Katara smiled, but it was bitter. "I admire your positivity, Zuko," she said slowly. "But it's been a long time since I've felt peaceful; and I'm starting to think that this is just a one way deal."

* * *

The texture of the snow was strange under Zuko's feet; it brought back the nostalgia of trudging through the North Pole with the Avatar on his back, furious not only from the cold and how he would get either of them to survive, but also from the fact that he actually cared about whether that waterbender girl was okay from their battle.

Katara felt similarly; remembering those days back at the South Pole where her biggest worries were how she would haggle with merchants for her and Sokka's dinner that night, or screaming out and lashing at the snow in an open area when she missed her mother too much.

They both sighed simultaneously, to which they both looked at each other at, and smiled. They weren't very sure where they were going; they walked through the streets of the city, not caring particularly.

The citizens passed them by without even a double take; though this took some getting used to for the pair, they relished in it. Normality felt good, as refreshing as the snow that had sprinkled itself onto their shoulders, as the day drew to a close, the sky dimming.

She smiled slightly, peering at him yanking his maroon scarf around his neck tighter, his nose and cheeks red from as the cold humidity stripped his features of its warmth.

Katara didn't shiver, but pulled her thick Water Tribe fleece closer to her body. She continued to peer at Zuko, who was padded out in his rather thin black jacket, by what she knew were a ridiculous amount of jumpers that Iroh had made him bring. His large muscles swelled beneath them, and he was at least a whole head and a half taller than her as he trudged along side her.

She could smell his warm scent, weakening her senses a little, and she wished that she found him unattractive in some way; in any way. But as he shook his already messy hair free of the snow, letting it settle onto his striking features, she knew that that her wishes would never come true; not that she ever thought they would.

"I don't know how you live in this snow," Zuko muttered. "How do you run, or even walk quickly?"

Katara hid her smile in her own thick navy scarf. "With difficulty, I guess," she spoke. "But it helps when you've lived in it your whole life; even more so when you're a waterbender."

"Was it weird?" He asked openly. "You know...being the only bender, let alone waterbender in your entire village?"

Katara paused, thinking honestly before replying. "It was lonely."

He watched her from the corner of his eye, they way her she was so accustomed to this weather, unlike him; her thick curly hair was insulation for her neck itself, her navy scarf covering her nose as she walked.

She was petite next his broad stature, but this added to her beauty in some strange way that he couldn't quite describe; he liked the idea of engulfing her in his arms, of protecting her, but he knew that if she knew he thought such things, she would not approve even in the slightest. Nevertheless, he still had such thoughts.

They were both quiet for while, and their minds wandered to completely different places. The crunch of the snow under their feet did most of the talking for them, for a long while, as a matter of fact. This only made Zuko's word come as even more of a shock to her.

"What made you leave Aang?" he spoke abruptly, not really thinking, regretting his words instantly.

She snapped to him, stopping in the middle of the street, her eyes resembling ice as they caught his. Her thick scarf sunk a little on her collar bone, exposing her lips that were parted from shock slightly.

"Wh-What?" she stammered, her eyes analytic and fierce.

"No, I didn't mean it to sound so crude!" Zuko tried desperately, frantically. "It's just that, well, I was just wondering; and I know it's not a very appropriate thing to wonder, and you think I'd have learnt in addressing such a topic by now, you know, being the Fire Lord and stuff. But I didn't mean for it to sound-"

"No, it's...it's okay," Katara said slowly, surprising both of them.

Zuko paused. "I mean...I know why you broke up with him but..."

"You wanna know what made me _actually _do it," she finished quietly, to which Zuko only nodded.

She bit her lip, resuming walking again slowly, Zuko at her side and waiting patiently. She pondered whether to open up such a vulnerable part inside of her, and her mind was already made up.

But maybe it was the city, or the nostalgia the snow brought, or waking up in his arms this morning, or eating breakfast with him and laughing more than you usually did when she was with him; whatever it was, it made her mouth speak before her brain gave its consent.

"Me and Aang were talking one time, where we went to one of the Air Temples for a date, a little over a month after the war had finished," Katara said slowly. "He was talking about our future; you know, when and how we would get married, how many children we would have, and all that other stuff."

Zuko's stomach churned, but he silenced it and let her continue.

"I wasn't really contributing much, since I didn't really know how I felt about it; he was 13 and a half and I was almost 16, and I had no idea what I wanted. But Aang did enough planning and talking for the both of us." Katara said, her eyes drifting.

She paused for a second, and Zuko watched her brows knit together.

"He said he wanted three children, minimum," she said quietly. "He said that if we were to have a son, we would call him Tenzin; he had always liked that name. He also said if we were to have a second son, he would want to call him Bumi, you know, after the King of Omashu."

"He said that I could name the rest of our children, before or after that," Katara said, and she swallowed hard, the feeling much harder to face than what she had initially. "And I was fine with that."

Her eyes found Zuko's golden ones, for reasons she wasn't sure of.

"But I _wasn't_ fine with it," she whispered to him, and Zuko's skipped a beat as her eyes bore into his. "If I were to ever have children, I wanted to name my first son after a traditional Water Tribe name, since I always liked the sound of them."

I knew that I could be able to name my daughter after my mother, Kya, but that wasn't enough for me. I know it's selfish and despicable, but the thought of just settling for what Aang wanted, _again_, just...terrified me."

"You're not selfish or despicable, Katara," Zuko said firmly. "They're your children, too."

"Would have been," Katara corrected, before sighing."I guess it was a stupid thing to worry about, since it's not even a possibility anymore; but I was barely 16 and scared shitless with the whole idea of rebuilding the airbending population of the world on my own. I guess I kind of understand why I got so freaked out."

They paused.

"Besides, it would be kind of weird to 'do it' with someone like a brother to you..." Zuko said a little too loudly.

Katara grinned at him. "Yeah, that too."

They continued walking through the city, talking occasionally. They tried to put aside how easy they found it to share their feelings with one another, but it played at their minds despite this. When this thought became too apparent, they let the crunch of the snow under their boots to do the talking for them again.

* * *

_**Katara;**_

_There have only been a few times in my life where I have felt true desperation; but I guess a few times is already too many. This desperation that I speak of; words mean nothing until you have experienced it. Nothing can possibly relate to such a feeling._

_The only way that I can describe it is aching; it is a throbbing, burning, wretched, low hum in a part of you so deep inside, you didn't even know it existed. It plays at your mind, driving you to the brink of insanity, no matter how much you scream and curse and cry and bleed._

_The last time that I felt this desperation was due solely to the women that had I once thought was my ally; Hama of the Southern Water Tribe. The women who had brought out the bloodbender that had always resided within me; the women who's death was never actually explained. _

_No one ever mentioned that she had temporarily broken out of the prison the villagers had kept her in, knocked Aang and Sokka unconscious within seconds, and grabbed Toph by the neck, holding her high up towards the crescent moon one night. _

_Toph writhed in her hand as her black hair would stick to her face from perspiration. Her misty eyes were wild, her feet searching desperately for ground, for her sight, and tears ran down her face as she screamed for me. Screamed for me to save her._

_"KATARA!" Toph called, her scream frantic and piercing. "KATARA! KATA-" _

_"Shut up, child," Hama hissed. "Or I'll rip your organs apart right here and now with my bare hands." _

_But I could barely save myself; I wouldn't dare even raise my arms, at the fear that Hama might crush Toph's neck if I even thought about it. She couldn't bloodbend anyone, since it was only a crescent moon, but it was enough to empower her own body, allowing her to smother the life out of my best friend within moments. _

_And until that day, I could not bloodbend without the full moon either. But this didn't matter to me at the time; all that mattered was that Toph was shrieking and screaming for me, Hama's hand clasping her throat like a vulture, and my stomach twisted so hard I had to fight to hold in the vomit that rose in my throat. _

_"Hama, please," I begged quietly, my teeth gritted, my eyes brimming with desperate tears; my jaw clicked from clenching so hard. "Please." _

_Hama smiled; her insanity too apparent. "Please what, you traitor?" she hummed, in a light, sing-song voice. "Please kill her? Full moon or not, I can grant your request." _

_I could hear the skin around Toph's neck twist, making a rubber-like sound; she was rendered speechless, now, not able to utter anything. Her body then jolted, and went limp, as Hama broke her neck._

_"NO! NO!" I yelled, tears spilling, my voice cracking. I lurched forward and doubled over, and my body trembled, soaked in sweat, and I could barely speak. I could barely move. I could barely breathe. "PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T-" _

_Hama laughed, light hearted and carefree. "You're weak, Katara! And that will be the death of you, I promise!" _

_Her laugh was manic again, Toph's unconscious body shuddering in her hand that was still enclosed tightly around her neck. The fire inside of me burned; searing and hissing, just like the sound of my mother's flesh burning. _

_I was completely powerless; even though I was a master, a healer, a sister, a mother, a friend. My body was cold and as limp as Toph's and I wondered how I was still standing. I could do nothing, as Hama squeezed the life out of Toph mercilessly, and that's when I realized. _

_That if I were to save her life, I too would have to be merciless._

_Some people might say that there was internal debate raging within me, that the fire in my heart was out of control; but those people do not know of such feelings. There was no fire, no debate, no embedded ideals calling out from within me; just ice._

_All that was in my mind was that Toph was going to die; I did not care about myself. I did not care if I would live through this. I did not care how I would die, how painful it would be, how long it would take._

_ All I cared about was saving my best friend; saving this 13 year old girl who hadn't even had a chance to live yet. Saving the girl who liked to look up at the stars before she slept at night, even though she couldn't see them. Saving this girl who would fill our hearts with laughter and normality, when none of us should have been laughing at all._

_I realized that in this moment, mercy was not a right, but a privilege._

_My head snapped to Hama, and she jolted; I didn't move. Toph's body fell to the floor with a thud as Hama was rendered powerless under my gaze. Her body rose into the air slowly, up and in front of the crescent moon, her eyes looking down at me as she convulsed in the light breeze. _

_"B-But, there is no full moon," she whispered, fear running through her as it had run through me mere moments ago. "It is not even a half! You do not even raise your arms! How are you-" _

_Those were here last words; and to think, she didn't even have time to finish them. My eyes narrowed, and her body twitched into a final jolt, but then it went limp, life drained from it instantly, and I let her empty shell drop to the ground._

_I didn't pause or feel regret; I didn't have time. I just ran to Toph, breaking down a few trees for some water as I healed her broken neck. Thank Agni, she wasn't paralyzed, but it was only by a few bone fragments had she escaped. _

_Hama's death was never explained to the villagers when her body was found; it was just a secret between me, and Toph. We never spoke of it; how I had done it, how it was even possible, what made me do such a thing, whether this was something within my control, whether I was born like this._

_All I know is, that Toph holding my hand when I was quiet, the regret, and the sleepless nights that followed, weren't completely unwelcome. In fact, I sort of relished in it; in the vacant stares I couldn't help, in the feelings of complete shame I couldn't put into words, in the days that I would look at my hands and wonder if I still possessed humanity of any sort._

_Despite how painful these things were, despite the heartache and the scars that never healed; despite the worried look on my friends' face on the days where I could utter nothing, despite all of the bitter moons that followed every day, __it was the thin line that separated me, from her._

_Those feelings of desperate regret and complete shame, __was the thin line that separated me, from Hama of the Southern Water Tribe._

* * *

**_Zuko;_**

_The night before the day of the final battle was probably on of the most nerve wracking for all of us; all for completely different reasons. We uttered nothing as we sat together, huddled around the campfire, staring down at our bowls of cold stew whilst calculating the possibility of us all dying tomorrow, which was rather high._

_Katara sat a little closer to me than usual, but I knew that she was not aware of it. I could practically hear her mind screaming out resuscitation maneuvers and healing techniques in preparation for tomorrow. _

_Her body was covered in goosebumps, even though the breeze that night was non-existent. Her blue eyes were a little misty, a little paler, and she licked her dry lips in concentration, sharp breaths escaping from her mouth occasionally. _

_As I looked at her, I decided that tonight, it wasn't about the problems that would never leave us, the duties that never ended, the people we were forced to put before ourselves. I decided that just for tonight, I would allow myself to pretend none of this existed. _

_Hell, this might've been our last night anyway; and I had less than nothing left to loose. _

_I broke the silence, my voice quiet, yet still making everyone's ears perk up. I wasn't talking to anyone in particular; or at least, I thought I wasn't. It took a long while after for me to realize that throughout the rest of that night, Katara was the only thing in my mind that remained clear and coherent. _

_"My Uncle used to tell me stories when we traveled together since I was banished," I started, and I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I looked back down at my stew, but they didn't say anything. "My favorite was the one about the Sun, Moon and Stars." _

_"What was it about?" Toph asked quietly, letting her curiosity getting the better of her, since the desperation to live overwhelmed her pride tonight__._

_I don't smile as I remember; "The Moon and the Sun were very different; the Sun was hot and brash and passionate, the Moon gentle and silent and constantly cool. They didn't really know each other at first, since the Sun would be out in the day, the Moon out at night, the Stars accompanying her as she watched the world sleep." _

_I paused, and looked up, to find everyone waiting for me to continue; so I did. _

_"But every 100 years, there would be an eclipse, what we know as Sozin's Comet; where the Sun and Moon would combine together, spending only a few minutes with one another. As centuries passed, they fell in love; the Sun fell in love with the Moon's gentle grace, and she fell or his passion and life." _

_"They were never together for that long, but those few minutes were worth waiting 100 years for each other. Though, the Moon had always had a close connection to the Stars; he was her friend, her close companion, but he had loved her from the very start, ever since they had started come out at night together."_

_"The Stars never restricted the Moon from seeing the Sun, since he loved her too much; but he was not oblivious to their pure love, to the way they would be around each other, to the feelings neither of them could suppress during their few minutes in the eclipse. He just watched her, saddened that she could never love him the way she loved the Sun, saddened by how distant the Moon became as she waited 100 years for her few minutes with her love." _

_"The Moon seems to love the Sun an awful lot," Sokka said quietly, playing with his cold stew. "Does the Sun love the Moon even half as much?" _

_"Are you kidding? Of course he did!" I cried. "The Moon was the love of the Sun's life! Her grace and iridescent beauty was the only thing that helped him light up our cruel world every day; she shone so much brighter than he ever could, in so many ways. He loved her with all he had in him, and would've given anything for her to be happy."_

_I went quiet as I continued. "But the Moon's guilt plagued her. Every time she was with the Sun, all she could think about was how she was betraying the Stars; how she was throwing the Stars's love back in his face with every minute she spent with the Sun, with every kiss he bestowed upon her. Her love was crushed by the guilt, and the Sun was not blind to this, for he too thought their love was wrong, no matter how much he loved her." _

_"What did she do?" __I heard Katara's voice, riddled with understanding and suspense as she waited for me to continue. I lifted my head to find her blue eyes fixated on me, desperate and yearning for an answer. I saw Aang look up from his bowl, his eyes darting to Katara, to which she was oblivious to._

_I suddenly knew that this wasn't just a story anymore; to any us._

_Nevertheless, I carried on, but my voice was a little fainter."The Moon ended her relationship with the Sun, claiming that they were too different, that their love was never meant to exist, that it was wrong. That complete opposites were never meant to prosper together." _

_"She chose the Stars instead, since she thought it was thought her duty lied with him since the beggining. They were together for eternity, but it was cold and bitter; the Sun and the Moon thought of each other constantly, and they were never the same ever again."_

_"Their lights were hollow, and they became bitter and grief-striken, their faith breaking. When the eclipse came, they would ignore their undying love for each other, and would cry together, until the few minutes ended. She would then return to the Stars, and he to the sky, and couldn't even bear to turn back to look at each other." _

_Everyone was quiet after I had finished, their gazes dropping back to their stew that was still in their laps for some reason. The wind hummed, finally, and the fire crackled in front of us, and I knew it disliked the story just as much as the Sun, Moon and Stars did._

_"The Moon...she did the right thing." Katara said firmly, yet quietly, but from what I could see from the look on her face, she was still wavering. Her curly hair flicked against her delicate jaw, her full lips pressed together as she believed her own words._

_"No, she didn't." Aang said slowly, his eyes filled with uncertainty and regret as he gazed at Katara, and I could practically see her heart crack, her breath catching in her throat as she could do nothing but stare back at him._

_Nothing else was said that night, and we all just carried on staring at our stew until we couldn't keep our eyes open anymore. Eventually, we all trudged to out tents, pausing before bidding each other what we thought was our last goodnight. _

_However, I lied awake the entire night, tossing and turning, growling and kicking; not because I might die tomorrow, or in fear that I would make a terrible Fire Lord, or that I was hungry having not eaten the stew. _

_But because for the first time in my life having heard that story again, I was furious. I was furious at the Moon for not succumbing to her love like she should've done, for throwing it all away because she was too damn selfless. _

_And for the first time since I had heard that story, I was furious at the Sun for letting the Moon go._

* * *

LOTS of hints from **Legend of Korra** in this one; like Katara's (and Aang's) children's names, and the whole early stages of the psychic bloodbending prospect. I just wanted to add it in there to help keep the story a little more realistic :)

LOVE writing the Katara and Zuko segments the best; did you enjoy it as much as I did? This is a rather short chappy, I know; but a lot happens in the next, I promise :)

And yes; Zuko symbolizes the Sun, Katara the Moon, and Aang the Stars. Just for those people who like having things spelled out for them; I'm one of them! ;)

Stay tuned and review :)

- Yin

**P.S. **Doesn't anyone feel like Makorra is the Zutara that never happened? Either way, I love them both a lot :)


	14. Chapter 13

Hiii :) How are you this fine day! I myself am feeling amazing, since my Spanish exam just finished! FINALLY SOME DAMN FREEDOM! Here is chapter 13; this is where it all gets a bit 'action packed'! Well, not this specific chapter, per say, but towards the end...

I better just shut up and let you all read in peace; I ramble a lot, don't I?

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG (but this plot is mine, so back off, bitches! :D)

* * *

**Chapter** **13**

It was hot, way too hot.

As in the type of hot Katara expected in say, the conditions of a volcano or the core of the Earth; not in Ba Sing Se in the early hours of the morning, when the entire city is practically frozen over outside from the depreciation of temperature.

But her bed was practically scorching; it was uncomfortable and humid and she hated it unconsiously, forcing her body to wake itself through instincts that were perfected from the constant running and travelling she had endured since she was 14.

Katara lazily opened her eyes, narrowed and cautious at the strange source of heat that had completely engulfed her petite body. She wasn't particularly surprised to find herself caught in Zuko's arms like a death trap, his face buried in her hair, hers having no other option but to be pressed againt his chest.

She sighed deeply, as her body stiffened against him slightly. She didn't need to remind herself that the only reason why he was even here was because the dreams that haunted her last night, every night, for that matter.

But she was becoming a little accustomed to this, and this frightened her more than anything. She unintentionally breathed in his strong scent, which consisted of addictive musk and pine, with a touch of something burnt, something that she couldn't quite put her finger on, something that made her feel like she was...enough? Complete? Safe?

She didn't want to complete that sentence; so she awoke him before her mind could.

"Zuko!" she hissed, wriggling in his arms. They tightened around her even further, his forearm unrealistically strong around her waist, and Katara grew impatient. "Zuko, get up!"

"No." he grunted into her hair, pressing her body even closer to his own burning one, causing her face to colour rapidly.

She thrashed against him a little violently, but his death grip was like a vice, his strength overpowering hers in the early morning, when she was at her weakest, and he at his strongest. Katara growled, as she could feel Zuko drift back to sleep, something that she didn't completely blame him for.

She reasoned with herself, and tried hard not to treat her current predicament as if she was in combat, since this would result in something deadly and life threatening on Zuko's part, something she didn't want to admit she was more than capable of.

"But it's your birthday, Fire Lord!" she tried again, making him stir. "And what happened to firebenders rising with the sun?"

"It's all bravado," Zuko explained in his deep voice, the rasp of it making her stomach flip. She could feel the firmness of his biceps as they wrapped around her, and this almost coaxed her; almost. "In reality, firebenders love lie-ins."

"I don't care! Just get _off_! You're practically burning me!" she grunted loudly, baring her teeth a little. "I think this cold weather has kick started your firebending into overload, making you unintentionally produce more heat than necessary in order to maintain a familiar temperature; resulting in you near damn scalding me!"

"Mmm," Zuko muttered, though it was clear he was not listening; he hadn't even opened his eyes yet.

Katara lost her patience altogether, shoving Zuko's broad body away from her violently. "GET _UP_!"

Zuko moaned a little at the loss of contact and the sudden force, his eyes to snapping open, hazy and unaccustomed to the dim lighting that filled the small guest house. The thick quilt around him creased and folded around his legs, and without Katara to cool him down, he too agreed that his body was rather warmer than usual.

He yawned, his eyes sagging again, but Katara could still see the intense gold; flickering like a flame, prominent and warm. She sat up in the bed, letting the fresh air of the atmosphere to envelop her once more, cooling her body down.

"When did you get so lazy?" she questioned, peering at him as his eyes drooped.

Zuko ran a hand through his messy hair, and Katara looked away before she could start gazing at him. "Oh, you know; governing a nation, paperwork, meetings, paperwork, saving the world and all that stuff. Did I mention paperwork?"

Katara couldn't help but let a laugh escape her mouth. "Well, if there's ever gonna be a day that's acceptable for you to forget about all that, it's today," she spoke, a smile tugging at her lips. "Happy birthday, Zuko!"

Zuko grimaced, closing his eyes as he laid his head back onto the pillow. "Agni, have mercy."

"I can't believe you're 19 now..." she breathed, her mind drifting.

Zuko groaned at her words, and Katara peered at him subtly from her side of the bed; his toned muscles and broad body was only emphasized by his old shirt that clung to him loosely.

His stature and height was that of one of the most strongest men she had ever met, both literally and figuratively; this only made him seem more irresistible to her, if possible, making Katara climb out of the bed before she could let such feelings become apparent.

"I can't believe _you're_ already 17," Zuko replied after a pause, his eyes still open.

Katara raised a brow. "My birthday was months ago," she uttered.

Zuko glanced at her, peering into her strong blue eyes, her long, curly hair cascading down her now rather curvaceous figure that was clothed in her over-sized night clothes; he was not blind to the arc of her waist or the sway of her hips as she now walked, since it merely became more prominent with every day that passed, whether he was present to witness such occurrences or not.

"I know, it's just..." he trailed off quietly, pausing. "Everything has just changed so much. You're just so different to that 14 year old that I used to chase all over the world in hopes of capturing the Avatar."

Katara paused, and it felt like the entire world was silent. "We both are."

* * *

Zuko sipped his tea in the kitchen, and couldn't help as he thought of his Uncle as he did so. He remembered the days of their travels, the days of a misty consciousnesses and destinies over warm tea at night, and nostalgia filled him, to which he was not keen on.

The day had passed rather quickly, more so than on his other birthdays in the previous years; he blamed this on the fact that today, he had no work, no duties, nothing much to play on his mind and draw his attention away from any other such leisure.

And this also may have been due to a certain master waterbender who he got to spend the day with, who walked into the kitchen at that very moment, her brows furrowed at the sight of Zuko sipping tea as he leaned against the cabinet.

Zuko's eyes almost fell out of his head at the sight of her, and he burned his tongue on his tea as a consequence; she wore a figure hugging navy shirt and dark pants, her hair left down to fall over her body gracefully, her features bold and striking, her prominance rendering him speechless slightly.

Her clothes weren't particularly provocative or bold, per say; but it was enough to draw some eyes, enough to stand out from a sea of people, enough to get whatever she wanted if she even so much as thought about it.

"What are you _doing_?" she asked, her hands resting in fists in the swift dips of her waist.

Zuko's eyes roamed her body unintentionally, and confusion got the better of him. "What are _you_ doing?"

Katara's brows furrowed further at him, as he continued to stare at her. He leaned against the kitchen worktop casually, though the look on his face resembled nothing of the sort. She ignored his charmingly messy hair and his broad body and warm eyes, and held her ground, since she knew it wouldn't last.

"We're going out, Zuko!" she cried indignantly. "It's your birthday, we're in a city where no-one knows who we are, access to limitless bars and don't have any meetings, at least not for the next 3 days; you do the math!"

Zuko blinked at her, glancing at her body again. He paused, and her blue eyes were practically slicing through him, her appearance having a similar effect, and Zuko knew that he had no fair chance.

"Katara, when I was talking about getting off our faces for my birthday at the ball..." Zuko started slowly, finding it hard to not let his eyes wander south. "I was only joking. I didn't actually _mean _it-"

"Well, too bad," Katara snapped. "One night of relaxation won't hurt! It's my gift to you!"

Zuko raised a brow. "Getting pissed is your gift to the Fire Lord?"

She smirked. "No refunds."

Zuko contemplated it for a moment, but shook his head vigorously. "You're technically under aged anyway, Katara! There's no way you can get served in a bar!"

"Actually, in Ba Sing Se the legal age to drink is 17; I looked it up!" she said with a triumphant grin. "And if that alone won't get me into a couple of bars, why else would you think that I would dress like this?"

Zuko opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. He glanced at her again and sighed, and Katara smirked, knowing that she had won. She bended the tea out of Zuko's mug, to which he protested, and using that to whisk the mug itself away from him.

"Now go get ready!" she yelled, dragging his wrist upstairs, hurling him towards the stairs. "And hurry up! We gotta get seats before all of the good bars fill up!"

* * *

Half an hour later prior to the situation, and here Zuko was; staring incrediously at Katara who's eyes roamed the drinks menu of a rather upstate bar on the stool next to him, completely oblivious to all the stares the men in the room gave her.

"Ooh, 'Mud Mayhem Madness'," she breathed, her eyes sparkling. "Sounds interesting!"

"More like questionable," Zuko corrected, his eyes never leaving her. "Katara, are you sure-"

"We'll have two please," she spoke to the bartender, her eyes flicking up to him from behind the counter. He turned to meet her gaze, probably only being a few years older than her, tall with neatly kept blonde hair, with blue eyes that shone in the dim lighting.

"Sure, sweetheart," he spoke kindly, flashing a perfect smile that Zuko did not like at all. "And for a pretty thing like you, it's on the house."

Katara smiled, and Zuko knew that more than one heart swooned at the sight of it in that room. But before he could glare at the bartender, he had already gone to prepare their drinks, leaving Katara to catch Zuko's eye as he just stared at her.

"You keep looking at me like I'm crazy!" she spoke, but she was smiling all the same.

"That's because you _are._" Zuko hissed.

Katara's grin only grew. "Oh, loosen up for once, Zuko!"

Zuko scoffed, folding his arms over muscled chest. "I think you're doing enough loosening up for the both of us."

"Look," she started, facing him now, her eyes dead set, the gleam in them not yet extinguished. "You're not gonna have another chance to just...unwind for a very very long time. You're not going to get another chance like this for a while; savor it!"

Zuko was still hesitant, pursing his lips at her as she continued.

"Don't worry, we'll be back in the Fire Nation commanding armies and ruling the country in no time," Katara spoke evenly, leaning back. "But for tonight, let's just forget. I'll just be Katara, and you'll just be Zuko."

"Here you are, babe," the bartender's voice spoke, and he slid two drinks across the counter to them. "Two Mud Mayhem Madnesses for the pretty girl and her boyfriend."

The pair jerked their heads up to him.

"He's not my-"

"She's not my-"

"Sure." the bartender interrupted, leaving before the two before either of them speak any further.

Katara ignored this rather quickly, and pulled one of the drinks to her, inspecting it thoroughly. It was a murky yellow colour, with a few mint leaves and ice thrown in, a citrus fruit wedge of some kind resting on the rim of the cocktail glass, making Katara smile already.

"Bottoms up!" she cried playfully, clinking her glass with Zuko, who could do nothing but succumb to it all.

They both took large gulps of the drink, and it was only after they had set their glasses back on the table did they feel the sharp burn that hazily covered their throats. They spluttered a little, laughing all the while, reaching for their 'harmless' cocktails again, regardless.

"That one had some kick to it," Zuko commented, not able to hide his perfect smile. "Much more than what met the eye!"

Katara laughed, raising the glass to her lips again."Well, we better get used to it; we're not leaving here until we've tried every drink on that menu!"

"And how many drinks are there in total?" Zuko questioned cautiously.

"You leave that to me to worry about," Katara smirked, glancing at the menu again. "I think next we'll go for...the Dai Li Delicacy!"

Zuko laughed as he listened to her. "Agni knows what those guys put in their drinks!"

"Agni has nothing to do with it!" Katara grinned. "We'll find out for ourselves!"

* * *

**Somewhere Between Drink 6-10**

Katara swayed in her stool unintentionally, forgetting what she had been laughing at. The dim lights didn't help in her attempt to sort out what was coherent and what was not, but it didn't bother her as much as she thought it would.

"Do you remember that...song?" she spoke, her voice a little slurred, her smile a playful. "The one...your Uncle used to sing?"

Zuko thought about it, but memories were a little misty in his mind, his smile lopsided as he failed to familiarize himself with what Katara spoke of, his hand more than willing as he reached for his glass of liquor.

"Noo..." he said slowly, for a little too long. "He sang a _lot _of s-songs!"

Katara giggled, sipping her neat liquor from a straw she was still using since her first cocktail. Her nose wrinkled as it burned her throat a little, but it passed as she continued to speak, her eyes setting on Zuko.

"You know...the one that was about..." she started, but she couldn't quite remember. It took her a second to finish her sentence. "About the girls from...from Ba Sing Se!"

Zuko blinked, and so Katara spoke it, giggling throughout.

"It's a long _long_ way...to Ba Sing Se," she said slowly, her giggles becoming uncontrollable. "But the girls...in the city, they-"

"Look so _pretty_!" Zuko finished for her.

They both laughed loudly at each other, maybe too loudly; Katara almost knocked over drink, to which she squealed at, which made her laugh even harder. Zuko looked at her as they both laughed, forgetting about the glass in his hand.

He looked at her glowing, wild blue eyes, her imperfect curly long hair, her petite body as it swung on the stool beside him, her mouth parted as she laughed and laughed and laughed.

Despite the song, he didn't want a girl from Ba Sing Se.

* * *

**Somewhere Between Drink 13-18**

"Other than Aang...you...you've not had a _boyfriend_...r-right?" Zuko asked abruptly, his words slurred and slow, sipping his new drink as he watched her with intense golden eyes, even though he could barely hold his body up.

Katara scoffed, and giggled. "Depends...what you call...a _boyfriend_!"

Zuko's face screwed up in confusion at her, but she continued.

"Me and Aang we...never did anything but kiss, and even was..._weird_," she spoke, wrinkling her nose at the thought. "But...when me and Sokka and Aang would travel...well...there would be..._guys_..."

She laughed, sipping her new cocktail through her straw. Zuko narrowed his eyes, not very sure he wanted to know what she was going to say, and so downed the remainder of his own glass before she continued.

"I was 14! And would only...m-make out!" she cried. "I-I didn't want anything..._serious_! It was...great 'cause I would be g-gone the next morning, off and travelling! Y-You know...saving the world!"

Zuko's nose wrinkled at her words, and he ordered another Dai Li Delicacy.

"Jet was...probably the _best_," she contemplated aloud, finishing her drink. "But that's...pretty accurate, since he was a player...anyways..."

"Wasn't he the...the guy who...?" Zuko asked, but his voice quietened. "In Lake Laogai?"

Katara grimaced. "Mm."

She ordered a Cactus Juice Concoction, taking a large gulp of it when it arrived before continuing, the image of Jet playing in her mind, dead on the floor. "He was a prick at first, but...turned out...pretty nice. Kinda like you, but...not as hot."

Zuko snapped his head to her, reeling a little, opening his mouth to say something, but couldn't find the words. Katara blinked, colouring rapidly, before downing the rest of her Cactus Juice Concoction without looking at him, and ordering another.

* * *

**Somewhere After Drink 23**

Katara laughed at Zuko, and she didn't even remember if what he said was funny or not; she glanced behind him absent mindedly, and her eyes narrowed slightly at what she found.

She saw some girl, sitting innocently on the other side of the bar; she was quite obviously pretty, with long, perfectly straight blonde hair and brown eyes that turned many heads. But her eyes lingered quite frequently at Zuko as she sipped her drink, which Katara realized, she was not okay with.

Zuko, on the other hand, kept his eyes glued to the bartender that had been serving him and Katara for what he guessed, was the past 2 hours. He watched as his gaze would somehow sneakily make its way back to Katara, despite the many girls that were fawning over him as he served them. Zuko gritted his teeth.

"W-What the..._hell_ is that girls..._problem_," Katara spat, taking a swing at her drink, glaring at the girl from across the room. "I-I bet she thinks that...that...just because she's _so_..._pretty_, and...she's so..._perfect_...that she can just, _look _at you like some..._object_!"

"Tha-That guy is...he...won't leave you..._alone_!" Zuko growled, slightly incorherently into his drink. "He won't...stop _looking_! D-Don't need to be a...bloodbender t-to _know_ where...all the blood in..._his_ body is g-going!"

Katara growled, her eyes like hazy, slurred daggers at the girl on the other end of the bar. She eventually caught Katara glaring at her, and turned away, looking rather petrified.

"Manipulative bitch." Katara hissed into her glass.

Zuko's eyes followed the bartender, who took Katara's empty glass from her and offered her a rather perfect smile as he took her next order. Zuko's eyes were like fire on the man's skin as he turned to glance at him, his eyes quickly darting away from Katara at the state of Zuko.

"Possessive prick." Zuko spat before sipping his new cocktail.

* * *

Sunlight blazed in through the window the morning after, relentlessly, making Zuko momentarily wonder why the curtains weren't doing their job.

He awoke to his swirling stomach, his body groggy, his head feeling like it was on fire and sliced down the middle. He sat up slowly and tried to arrange his thoughts so that they made more sense, holding his head in place all the while.

Zuko was lying on the living room floor of the guest house (thanking Agni he had made it there, at least). His shirt was missing, leaving him a little chilly, and his stomach churned heavily in his abdomen, and Zuko knew that this would not turn to be a pleasant morning.

He looked around the room in attempt to find his shirt, but all that caught his eye was Katara laying messily over the large sofa, her hair covering most of her face, her shirt ridding up on her hip, crumpled and wrinkly, her arm hanging off of the sofa lazily.

She groaned loudly, rolling a little on the couch, causing her to topple messily onto the floor with a loud thud. She cursed loudly, Zuko wincing at her words, as her body failed to cooperate with her.

She then registered her pounding head, and almost fell to the floor as it struck her so severely. She rested her hand on her forehead and swore again, fumbling into a sitting position, though she stumbled messily.

"Zuko?" she called out, wincing at the loudness of her voice, not having seen him at the back of the room.

"Yeah, I'm here." he called back in a grunt, stumbling as he tried to haul his body up to a standing position, though he sagged messily against the wall, almost falling over again.

Katara peered about the room, and her eyes widened at his bare chest, which she admitted, she did not look away from instantly; on the contrary, she didn't even glance at his face. She bit the inside of her cheek in order to contain her blush.

"Where's your shirt?" she asked, her brows furrowed from her throbbing head.

"Beats me." Zuko answered, holding the frame of the wall for support.

His head was pounding, slowly killing him, or so it felt; but the sensation was put on hold, when his stomach churned harder, causing Zuko's body to jolt as he fought to hold the vomit in his throat.

"You alright?" Katara asked, closing her eyes as she pressed a hand to her head.

Her question was only answered by Zuko dashing upstairs to the bathroom, a hand clamped over his mouth. She would've laughed, but her head and stomach advised her otherwise, as she trudged to kitchen, falling over a few times, to make some coffee in an attempt to revive both of them for at least the remainder of the day.

After having emptied the contents of his stomach, Zuko stumbled into the kitchen after a good hour or so. He found Katara pulling the moisture from some of the fruits on the table, holding the water in the air as she turned around and stepped towards him.

"Would you heat this up for me?" she asked quietly, not wanting to fuel her already agonizing migraine. "I need some coffee. Badly."

Zuko complied, his need for coffee also overwhelming him; raising his hands to meet hers the water she had kept hovered in the air. With a jolt of his wrists, the water was at boiling point, some of it escaping through condensation as Katara bended it into two mugs.

"Why not use the water from the main tap?" he asked, picking up his mug of coffee, breathing in the bitter elixir of life dutifully.

Katara squirmed a little, not meeting his gaze. "Well...erm..."

"Katara?" Zuko prompted, his voice confused and hazy.

She bit her lip, to which Zuko was much too aware of, before slipping some curly stands of hair behind her ear. Her figure hugging shirt was still rided up at her hip, exposing it's smooth mocha texture to Zuko's eyes, to which he had to turn away from before he started staring, which was a difficulty in itself, since he could barely keep his eyes open.

"I don't know what happened last night, when we got home, but..." Katara started quietly, glancing at him. "The water supply to this house has kind of...broken."

Zuko paused. "What do you mean _broken_?"

Katara bit her lip again. "As in...the pipes burst from the over-exertion of water. "

Zuko blinked at her, before spluttering and clamping a hand to his forehead. He opened his mouth to try and put into words his frustration, but his groggy mind failed to comply, and so he could only sigh and shake his head at her.

Katara narrowed her eyes a little. "Hey, don't look at me like that!"

"You broke the damn water supply single-handedly whilst_ off your face_; how the hell am I _supposed_ to look at you?" Zuko hissed at her.

Katara scoffed as her patience also snapped. "Well it's not like I was exactly aware of what I was doing! At least I didn't burn off the damn curtains, like _some_ people!"

Zuko stuttered, his mouth gaping. "Wh-What?"

Katara smirked triumphantly. "Go and have a closer look at the living room windows; I _dare _you. Why else do you think the sunlight got in so easily this morning, Fire Lord?"

Zuko peered behind him immediately, to find that Katara had only spoken the truth; covering the corner of the large windows in the living room was what was left of a blackened, singed off pastel green curtain, and only now did he comprehend that burning fabric smell.

He turned back to Katara to find her smirking at him; her hair a mess, her eyes alive and somehow, gleaming. He couldn't help but grin also, and the next thing they knew, the two were in fits of laughter in the middle of the kitchen, filling the entire house with temporary freedom that they both unintentionally basked in.

"Funny how Lee knew exactly how we would ruin this house," Katara laughed, leaning against the wall of the kitchen for support. "It's like he's psychic or something!"

"If he is, I hope he doesn't explain to the Earth King that we were pissed whilst wrecking it," Zuko replied, he himself leaning against the worktop of the kitchen. "That would be pretty hard to recover from at the meeting."

Katara

grinned, laughing a little; her mind still pounded, relentless and agonizing. Her eyes flicked closed as she tried to soothe it with some water that she drew from the air with her fingertips, but she didn't have the energy to numb it completely.

"Maybe we should get some real sleep..." she offered, noting her aching muscles, and her churning stomach that she knew would empty itself at some point or another this morning.

"You're right," Zuko agreed quickly, the thought of sleep alone already making him feel better. They both moved out of the kitchen and up the stairs, hissing a little their hangovers became a little more intense all of a sudden.

Once they had reached the top of the stairs, (which was a gift from Agni in itself), they split to their individual bedrooms, pausing for a second, though they didn't know why they should, making their eyes glance at each other momentarily.

"After we get some sleep, we should go out for dinner, or something," Zuko offered, wondering if he was still partially intoxicated.

"That sounds...good," Katara admitted, putting aside the thought. "But let's skip the wine."

Zuko smirked at her, making Katara's heart beat faster. "Agreed."

* * *

That familiar sound of snow crunching under their boots filled their ears again; though, it wasn't unwelcome, on the contrary, it was relished in by the two masters, as they walked side by side, slowly through the streets of Ba Sing Se.

Their breathes seemed to echo through the empty roads, snow lightly dusting itself on their shoulders as they would occasionally glance up to find complete whiteness, which wasn't as disheartening as it might seem.

"So...you sucked face with Jet, huh?" Zuko spoke abruptly.

Katara scoffed a little, pulling her navy scarf closer to her neck. She was actually thankful for her masses of curly hair, for once, since it insulated her back and shoulders. She blinked the snowflakes, making them fall away in in crystallized droplets, as she glanced at Zuko.

"Just...don't tell Sokka or Aang," she grinned. "At least I was subtle about it, unlike _some _people."

Zuko narrowed his eyes at her a little, shaking the snow out of his ebony hair; he shivered a little, wondering whether he should've worn more layers like his Uncle had advised, but his attention was fully on her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he snapped.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Oh please! You and Mai were constantly at it in front of _everyone_!"

"Hey! It's not my fault!" Zuko defended. "She was freakin' crazy and would attack me out of nowhere!"

"With her _lips_?" Katara retorted. "At least when I would get on guys I would keep it a secret, you know, maintain some decency and privacy. But _you _two-"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Zuko cut her off. "Guys? As in, plural?"

Katara rolled her eyes again. "Well, duh! I was 14! I would be gone the next morning to help train with the Avatar and wasn't exactly looking for commitment! I just wanted some temporary fun; just a quick kiss that I could forget about!"

"So do I know any of these fun loving guys?" Zuko dared, shoving his hands into his pockets sulkily.

Katara thought about it, still smirking. "Well, there was Jet, a busboy from Omashu, a couple of merchant apprentices from the Kioshi Islands, this street performer guy from outskirts of Ba Sing Se, actually, who was _super _hot. Oh, and Haru-"

"Haru?" Zuko exclaimed. "The mustache guy from the final battle?"

Katara laughed. "Yeah...except, at the time, it was minus the mustache."

Zuko frowned. "I've got to say, I never really thought you were the type to kiss and run."

"No one ever does," Katara replied, looking up at the almost blackened sky. "That's what made it so much easier."

They walked for a little longer, not really paying attention to where they were going at all; the next thing the two of them knew, they were on the outskirts of some woods, looking unrealistically beautifully as a blanket of untouched snow covered the ground and trees.

They continued to walk, nonetheless; being maybe a little too close to each other, feeling a little too giddy as their shoulders would occasionally brush onto one another's. They attempted to push aside such feelings, but for some reason, tonight, it was much easier said than done.

"So, Zuko, what about you?" Katara urged, the gleam in her eye making his heart stutter.

Despite this, he managed to maintain composure, which only made it harder for Katara to fault him. She could feel his warmth as she walked alongside him, her head turned to him a little, seeking out golden eyes a little too eagerly.

"What about me?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Oh, don't play dumb!" Katara laughed. "There must have been some girl, other than Mai, that you shared a 'little peck' with!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Zuko said firmly, though his eyes told Katara a completely different story.

"What was her name, Fire Lord?" she prompted, her smirk still apparent.

Zuko peered at her through the corner of his eye; the way the snow would not settle on her since her body would evaporate it completely, thanks to her her waterbending. Her cheeks were a little pink from the cold, her eyes even brighter against the vanilla background, and he wondered how if anything or anyone could do to him what she always had done, this moment not excluded.

He sighed. "I think it was Jen, or something," he answered eventually. "I don't really remember. We went out for a date, and then kissed somewhere by a fountain before I ran off like an idiot."

Katara watched him as he spoke, looking at his lips for a little too long before snapping out of her trance long enough to comprehend what he was saying and form a coherent answer; just.

"That's sweet," she said honestly, trying to hide her smile. "You're such a..._gentlemen_. Kinda makes me think that you're lying..."

"I give you my word as the Fire Lord, she was the only one," Zuko said, trying to be serious, but unable to hide his smile. "Kissing random girls was the last thing on my mind, back then, anyways. I was too busy trying to figure out who I was."

Katara only just noticed that they were not out in an open field that was covered in a thick blanket of snow, but this hardly had any of her attention. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, at his tall, heavily build stature, his kind heart and nature shining far too brightly to her to turn away from tonight.

"I like who you are." she spoke firmly, honestly, and she didn't really know why she had said such a thing.

Zuko watched her as her curly hair brushed her jawline, as her electric blue eyes darted to his for some reason; as the pause that engulfed them was rather warm and renewing, and he realized that these feelings would never go away.

He licked his lips as their pace slowed to halt, and despite regretting this, neither of them tried to run from or escape from these emotions that they knew were not viable, were not safe, were not supposed to be.

"I like you, too." he answered quietly, since she had no idea how much he actually meant it.

She watched him, and she didn't know why they had stopped, but she didn't try to fight it. She looked up into his intense golden eyes, like the sun she hadn't seen since they had arrived here, like the warmth she had given up looking for a long time ago.

She pressed her lips together, since her mind was already alarming her and telling her to run and hide before she could do anything brash, before she could allow herself to actually look into these feelings she had, into this prospect of her and him that didn't feel as wrong as it actually was.

They were locked together, not moving; their hearts racing, pulses thudding, and she didn't need to use bloodbending in order to decipher this. She could smell his intoxicating scent and it weakened her, making her even more cautious of all of this.

"Zuko..." she said quietly, almost like a whisper, her eyes latched to his. "I..."

But she hissed and jolted suddenly, as a rather large dart with a pointed spike rammed into her upper thigh, clean through her tribal wear. Her body sagged closer to the ground, but Zuko was already up and next to her, supporting her body before it gave way.

"W-What the hell is that?" Zuko cried, staring at the dart lodged into her thigh, his worry riddling him. "Are you alright?"

Katara gritted her teeth as she plucked the dart from her, flicking what was left of the clear solution onto her fingers. She meshed it between her thumb and fingertips, feeling her skin tingling at a ridiculously fast rate.

Katara's eyes widened.

"It's a numbing agent," she breathed firmly, her mind blurring, and she could feel her body tingle and stiffen, so that it was a frigid lump on the ground. She could barely breathe, let alone keep her eyes open, as her mind screamed for her to do something, anything.

"ZUKO! GET DO-"

But before she could even finish, another dart flew and hit Zuko's broad shoulder, making him stagger a little, before plummeting into the snow next to her, his body just as limp and lifeless as hers, and Katara had no chance to react as she thudded into blackness, Zuko following promptly after her.

* * *

_**Katara; **_

_I was never strong; to be perfectly honest, I doubt whether I even am now. Strength, in any shape or form, isn't something that just conjures itself up overnight; you have to work for it, sacrifice for it, maybe even die for it, in more ways than one. _

_For me, I guess strength was supposed to be hereditary; my mother and father were the most strongest people I have ever known in my life, sacrificing things for me and Sokka that I didn't even think about. Or like my friends; the diligent Avatar, the persevering blind earthbending master, my strategically heroic brother, the selfless Fire Lord._

_E__xcept, I guess my 'strength' gene was deactivated, at first. It took a while for it to kick start into action, the time itself lessening as the years passed, sending it later into overdrive. But in the time before that, no one has any idea how many times in my life I have ran and hidden, how many times I have cried and bled and just allowed it to happen._

_No one has any idea how many times in my life I have wanted nothing more than to just be somebody else; how much I wanted to be someone other than useless, insolent, naive, crybaby Katara. _

_But this all changed, eventually; a week after my mother's death, to be exact. The village was too quiet and no one said or did anything but look pityingly at what was left of me and my family. Being only a child, I should've been blind to this. _

_Except, I wasn't. _

_My father came home one day, after sailing away the day after my mother's body was buried, somewhere I wasn't sure of, somewhere no one was allowed to accompany him, somewhere where we weren't. _

_I remember not running him, since I was tired from all the crying and groggy emotions; I just watched, as he walked into the tent, not looking at me or Sokka, sitting down to the side cross legged and staring into space in the corner of our not so quaint little home anymore. _

_I watched my father; his vacant expression, his swollen red eyes, his body looking frail and fragile having not eaten for a week, his smile long gone, the gleam in his eye, that my mother had fallen in love with, just as dead as her. _

_I turned to Sokka, and he was watching him, too; he's 2 years older than me, but he looked so small and helpless. He looked at my father desperately, wanting him to say or do something that would bring us temporary solace, that would make us feel like nothing had really changed, even if it was a lie, even if it was only for a while. _

_As a child, I took it all in; __this was my family._

_My broken father, sitting in a heap on the floor, not even looking at his own quivering children. My despairing brother, who didn't know how to lead us out of the darkness, being only ten years old, realizing now that my father was unable to. _

_Then, I knew, I had a choice; I could either sit on the floor and fall like my brother and father had done. I could fall and relive the good times in the past in my mind over and over, relive my mother's smile, relive the times when everything was simple and easy. _

_I could forget it all; this small village, those vacant stares, the sobs at night, the bedtime stories and my brother grimacing as our parents would kiss under the moonlight. I could forget the heartache and reality, and just...be. _

_Or, I could get up. _

_I looked at my brother, his bright azure eyes brimming with tears as he watched my father helplessly, as he fought to hold onto the hope that was being snatched away from him with every word my father refused to say; and I guess I didn't have a choice, since that my mind was already made up for me._

_I stormed outside, all the way to the almost frozen lake that was a good mile away from our village. I watched the fishes swim by, and raised my arms, trying to bend the fish out of the water with a lot of difficulty._

_ I failed, again and again, which lead to me standing over that damn lake for over 3 hours, until I had mastered how to catch fish with waterbending that I barely knew how to use._

_A few hours of catching more fish, trading some of it with merchants for some rice, and a few tips here and there I had picked up from watching my mother cook all those years, and I had somehow made our first real meal after her death. _

_Sokka rejoiced silently, wolfing down the fish and rice noisily. My father just looked over at us as we ate, and I didn't offer him anything outright; if he wanted something to eat, I wanted him to get up off of the floor and come and get it. _

_He joined us eventually; he took one bite and just froze, and I wondered if I had done something wrong, if the rice was bad, if the fish wasn't cooked, if this desperate attempt to renew us all and pick up the pieces my mother left behind was all just a waste of time. _

_He looked at me, azure eyes just like Sokka's, tears streaming from them as he smiled for the first time in what felt like an eternity. My heart froze, then and there, and I could only stare, waiting for him to walk out again. _

_"It tastes...just like hers." my father murmured. _

_We were all quiet for a moment, a long long moment, but eventually, we resumed eating in silence. After a few months, conversations started to come back; and within a year or so, we even laughed. _

_From then on, the decision was never really mine. Strength wasn't just a chore or something that had to be done; it became something that happened like a chemical reaction in my mind and body, something that happened through default alone. _

_I had no say in the matter, from that point onwards, as I proceeded to care less and less about myself, and care more and more about the people I love, the people who needed help, the people who were alone and seemingly weak like I myself once was. _

_Strength is a powerful thing; something that isn't very clear or exact, especially in darkness, but is terribly important and contagious, all the same. Strength soon became my ally, my friend, my will to live and carry on, when everything else tumbled around me. _

_But I suspect that one day, ironically, strength will also be the death of me._

* * *

Yeah. Zuko and Katara get kidnapped; I'm sneaky, I know. ;)

And yes, only Katara gets a segment in this chappy, for reasons I cannot give away!; you should actually pay attention to her segment, it will make much more sense later on. Hopefully it will all become clearer to you all as to why this is in the chapters to follow...oh, I'm so brief and secretive, aren't I? :D

Do you like how I sneakily made it all light hearted and drunk and humorous at the beggining of this chapter...and then I was like, BAM! Zutara gets kidnapped! HOW DO YOU FEEL?

:D Yeah...suit up for the intense rollercoaster that is about to start from the next chapter onwards. You have been warned!

I love you, please review and continue being awesome :)

- Yin

P.S. Thanks for all of the reviews and support so far! You're all amazing! I love reading your reviews sooooo much! It just instantly brightens my entire day! Don't know what I would do without them! :)


	15. Chapter 14

Hola! I'm so excited for this chapter; have been dreaming about getting to this point, for like, FOREVER! Can't wait to share this with you all, let alone wait for the feedback (which will be freakin' agonizing to wait for)!

Hope you enjoy; please review! :)

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER

* * *

**Chapter 14**

For once in her life, Katara's nightmares actually came in handy.

She awoke with a loud shriek, her body shaking as her eyes snapped open. She had to blink a few times for her vision to focus, and only then did she register the dull ache that coursed through her body from whatever she had been shot with, the cold air enveloping her.

She groaned, and found that she couldn't even stand up; her arms were chained high up above her head, the shackles covering her whole fist so that waterbending was out of the question, her feet also bound to the wall, disabling all movement.

Katara was hunched over, the only thing holding her body from plummeting face first into the stone floor being her arms chained to the wall; this consequently made her shoulders ache and strain as it held her entire body weight, making her hiss at the fierce pain.

But she could at least lift her head, to find Zuko in the same predicament directly in front of her; he was unconscious, his muscled body sagging towards the floor, his chained arms being the only thing keeping him up, and she couldn't see his face as he keeled over, similarly to how she was mere moments ago.

Katara surveyed the room analytically, in attempt to find some water, or even get a clue as to who had taken them here; they were both chained in a tiny room that consisted of nothing but four stone walls, a stone floor, a stone ceiling and a bolted metal door.

She could feel the emptiness of her stomach and her dry tongue and groggy body, sussing out that they had probably been out for a good few days. Her mind was still hazy from the knock out drug, and her back strained as she straightened with all the energy she could.

But as Katara's mind started to awaken, she realized that she had to take action quickly; neither of them could survive much longer without water, and she could already feel the implications dehydration had on her body.

"Zuko!" she hissed, wincing at the straining, sharp pain in her back. "Zuko! Get up!"

She leaned forwards as far as she could, and blew harshly into his head that was faced down, struggling as the shackles twisted painfully at her wrists. She winced, feeling the rough metal rub the delicate skin of her wrists raw, and she knew it would leave a nasty graze, but this was of her last concern.

Zuko groaned as he regained consciousness, stirring as he was hunched over. He hissed loudly at the pain in his body, at the dryness of his mouth and his aching shoulders that held the entire top half of his body in the air.

Straightening slowly, he grimaced as the pain in his back struck mercilessly, and his groggy eyes found Katara in front of him, in the same predicament. His wrists and ankles ached from the tightness of the shackles and the lack of mobility they provided, but he forced his mind to awaken as fast as he could, since he knew this was no time to register pain.

Zuko started to comprehend the waterbender in front of him; registering her screaming blue eyes and ridiculously dry, cracked lips. Her curly hair fell over her shoulders messily, her arms also chained high above her head, perspiration covering her as it did him.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly, though it echoed in the small room.

Zuko groaned, blinking rapidly, licking his own cracked lips, grimacing as he tasted blood. "I will be."

Katara no doubt picked up on the blood in his mouth as she surveyed him; his hands weren't covered in metal like her own shackles were, but they were tightly bound, nonetheless. His ankles were much more heavily bound than hers were, making her mind work like clockwork.

She took in his physical state, blaming it for medical purposes only; similarly to her, he had not cuts or bruises of any sort, though she guessed the skin around his wrists and ankles were probably badly grazed, too.

His golden eyes brought warmth to her cold body, and she relished in this a little; his messy hair, now messier than ever, lay over his eyes charmingly, and she wondered how he still looked so handsome, even at a time like this.

However, Zuko's lips were ridiculously parched; they had even cracked, to the point where blood was being drawn, and Katara's brows furrowed. Being a firebender, she knew his body relied on water much more than she, a waterbender did, because of his overall high body temperature and how prone firebenders were in general to dehydration.

"You need water," she stated firmly. "We've got to get out of here and find you some."

"We've got to get out of here full stop," Zuko corrected.

He tried fumbling in his shackles, but it didn't matter anyway; the metal would conduct any kind of fire he would manage to bend, and would only burn his body if he tried. They were wound tightly, anyway, rendering this impossible even as an option.

"I can't firebend, but I guess there'd be no point, anyway," he ushered. "The shackles would just conduct it."

Katara's eyes firmed at his words, and she paused before she spoke. She glanced again at Zuko's tightly wound shackles, at her fists encased in metal, at the lack of earth or even old moss in the small room around them.

"Whoever it was that took us..." she breathed. "They were planning our capture."

Zuko's face twisted; half from his dry throat and aching body, half from confusion. "What are talking about?"

"Look how they have bounded us," Katara said, gesturing with her head. "They've covered my whole hands, since that's how most waterbenders use their element. And they have bounded your feet, since firebenders tend to use their legs for thrust."

Zuko's brows furrowed as he listened to her words, and took a long pause. "Who are these people?"

Katara licked her lips. "I don't know, but I'm I don't think we should wait around to find out."

"But how do we even get out of this room?" Zuko asked frustratedly. "There's nothing for either of us to bend!"

Katara gritted her teeth, knowing that he was right. She searched the tiny room thoroughly with her eyes, but found nothing but grey stone bricks, which not even an earthbender could breathe became sharp as she realized what this entailed, and she struggled pathetically against her shackles one last time, in an attempt to to not carry out what she knew she had to.

She took then relaxed her shoulders as much as she could and turned her head to one of them, lowering her dry lips to it feverishly as she pushed aside the material of the sleeve of her tunic and gnawed away at her skin.

Zuko's eyes widened at her. "Katara, what are you _doing_?"

His question was only answered as Katara jutted out her chin promptly, and a thin strip of red flew out of the tiny incision on her shoulder. With a swipe of her head from side to side, the chains were slashed at by the dark crimson liquid, and Katara's arms fell free, and she almost lost her balance from the lack of support as the chains and shackles fell to the ground with a clatter.

Zuko just stared at her. "K-Katara..." he breathed.

He watched her as she used the blood to slice away at the metal that encased her hands, simultaneously avoiding eye contact with him. Once she was done, and her hands were free, she worked on the chains around her legs, which only took a few moments now that she had most of her mobility.

She moved to him silently, and all of a sudden, she was so so close to him; he could feel her breath on his neck as she slashed with her blood against the chains on his arms. He could smell her, feel her hair tickle his face, feel her chest brush against his.

His arms fell loose but he steadied, and they were still close too to one another. He looked down at her as they both kneeled on the floor of the small stone room, and for some reason, she too looked at him, her blue eyes apologetic as they bore into him.

"Zuko..." she murmured, lowering her gaze to his strong chest. "I don't...I don't know if we'll make it out of here."

He moved forward and pulled her a little to him, so that she had no choice but to rest her head on his chest, so that his forearms gripped around her waist like a secure vice, so that she could hear his steady heartbeat, so that she would feel a little less cold.

"We will," he whispered firmly into her hair, but he barely believed himself either. "We will."

They stayed that way for what felt like a long time, when really, it was only a few minutes. But Katara could sense that the water levels in Zuko's body was dangerously low, that he was weakened significantly from dehydration.

She pulled away firmly at this to flick her fingers in the air, drawing only a few small drops of water. She raised them to him, the droplets floating in the middle of her open palm as she raised it to his lips.

"It's all I can get from such a small room," she apologized. "Drink it."

Zuko blinked at before frowning. "What will you drink?"

"You're a firebender," she said firmly. "You need this water much more than I do. I can just manipulate the blood in my body for a while before my strength starts to depreciate, but you-"

"I don't care!" Zuko said loudly. "You need water, too! It doesn't matter if you're a waterbender or not; anyone who goes without water for days is just as open to dehydration as anyone else. I'll only drink it if you split it for both of us!"

Katara growled. "There's no point! There's barely enough for one sip, splitting it would redundant!"

"It doesn't matter!" Zuko retorted. "Chances are, we're going to walk out of this room and have to fight to get out, Katara. Even less than a sip of water is better than nothing at all, and you know it!"

Katara scowled at him; at his fiery golden eyes, at his broad, strong body, at his messy that she wanted to badly to run her hands through. She sighed, her shoulders slouching, as she complied.

She split the water with her other hand, raising it to either of their lips, the droplets not even being enough to swallow. She only narrowed her eyes at him, at the way he could infuriate her so easily, in such a way that no one else could.

"You're so stubborn." she hissed.

Zuko grinned. "That's rich, coming from you."

They looked at each other for a moment, before smirks began to creep up on their faces, and they wondered why neither of them could ever stay mad at each other for that long.

But eventually, they glanced at the huge, bolted metal door to the side of them, before turning back to each other. Katara straightened slowly, along with Zuko, as they both rose to a stand. They watched the door, slightly hesitant and unwilling to face their fate, whatever it may, or may not be.

But they thought of the lives that were still left to save, of the people that they could not leave behind, of the duties they had yet to completely fulfill, and they were forced to accept that dying here was not an option.

"Anything could be behind that door," Zuko muttered, a fire igniting in his palm as he faced it.

Katara didn't falter, since she simply did not have time to. She gritted her teeth at the sharp twang of her shoulder as she drew another thin line of blood; Zuko's eyes blazed at this.

"Katara...are you sure it's okay to keep using your blood like that?" he questioned, his brows knitting together at her.

Katara turned to the bolted door as well. "Don't worry, this is the maximum I can draw from myself; anymore, and I'd pass out, maybe even die," she said rigidly. "It's just until we get outside into some more air that I can convert."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "I still don't trust you," he said firmly. "I'm worried you might so something stupid, like put your neck on the line for me by using too much of your own blood."

Katara smiled, and they both detected the sadness in it. "I can't promise anything," she spoke honestly. She straightened, holding her collection of floating blood close to her as she raised her arms. "Are you ready?"

Zuko looked at her for a long moment, and he knew that if he were to say anything, do anything, confess anything, he should do it now; but as always, his head dominated, much like Katara's, and he inhaled a sharp breath, bringing his fingers to his lips.

A thrust of an explosive orange and red fumed out of him, knocking the metal door off of its hinges, sending it flying open, out and thrown across the stone corridor, with a loud bang and clatter.

The two masters wasted no time; Katara ran out first, blood whip raised and already slashing as she checked the perimeter for guards. At her right, the corridor was long, looking almost endless, bolted door after bolted door lining the stone walls like a prison. To her left, was a dead end, to which Katara lowered her blood.

Zuko was already out and behind her within moments, his body ready and rigid for battle, though, it was left slightly unsatisfied as he too took in their surroundings, his suspicion building

"There's nothing; no one," Katara said flatly. "I think these are the dungeons."

"Yet, no one guarding the only people who occupy them," Zuko hissed. "Something doesn't feel right."

But Katara was already swinging her arms around her, droplets of clear, fresh water hovering at her fingers as she finished. She didn't waste time with words, only split the large contents to her and Zuko's lips, as they both drank it feverishly.

Just as they had began to quench their thirst, they heard a slam, sharp and loud, echoing through the corridor, coming from a dungeon a few doors down from them. The slam sounded again, before they even had time to comprehend the first, louder and thunderous.

Zuko and Katara both readied themselves, approaching the dungeon in which the demonic slams cam from; but thankfully, they were not in front of it as the huge metal door flew from its hinges, smashing against the wall, similarly to the way Zuko had freed them.

"Man! That's some strong metal!" they heard, and the voice was all too familiar. "Too bad I gave it an ass whooping!"

"Toph?" Katara spluttered incrediously.

Toph out casually from her dungeon at the sound of her voice, her neat black brows furrowed with confusion. Her hair maintained it's perfection in her bun, for some reason, and she pursed her lips as she comprehend Zuko and Katara's presence.

General Lee staggered out after her, his face a little astounded by the sight of the crushed metal door lying there in the corridor. His fell eyes on Toph, blinking from disbelief. His slick black hair was just as neat and tidy, green eyes just as piercing as any other, his strong stature a little disheveled as he analysed the broken metal door from afar.

"Are you seriously only 14?" he questioned, raising a brow at her.

Toph opened her triumphant smile to answer, but was interrupted.

Katara ran to her before she could say anything, pulling her into a firm hug, to which the earthbender had no choice but to comply to. Katara pulled away, scanning her momentarily for injuries, thanking Agni for finding none.

She then turned her attention to Lee, throwing her arms around him also, overwhelmed at the sight of both of them. Lee only smiled softly before hugging her close to him, reassuring her, even if only a little.

"What are you two _doing_ here?" Zuko asked, astounded, as he too approached the young master and the general.

Toph frowned at his question. "Beats me; got clunked on the head whilst I was in the market place on the outskirts of Ba Sing Se after a shift at the orphanage. That's when I actually aw your bone head brother, and we started talking. But, I got shot with some dart, and don't remember the rest."

Katara's brows furrowed. "You were with Sokka?"

Toph nodded, sighing. "The idiot was trying to haggle some nuts for a huge slab of meat; him and the shop keeper got into an argument right in the middle of the market."

Katara rolled her eyes. "That's my brother."

Zuko turned to Lee. "Then, where were you, Lee?"

Lee's eyes tightened. "Well, I was at a tailors', getting some clothes made for the baby. I was there until pretty late, and when I was walking back to my Aunt's, and a dart hit my shoulder, so here I am."

Zuko and Katara turned to each other, eyes hardened, teeth gritted as they started to piece together the information, the result making them frown even harder, if possible.

"They're targeting all of us, the world's most important figures," Zuko muttered. "You don't think..?"

Katara clenched her fist, and she turned to face everyone. They all silenced at how intense she looked, Toph feeling her heart beat rise as her lips parted to speak, and Katara knew this would change everything, before it had barely started.

"We've been taken by the rebel army." she stated, cold and firm.

Toph and Lee gritted their teeth at her words, their eyes hardening. Katara lowered her head, pushing aside her mind that was already calculating the odds of survival, and her head snapped up at the result.

"We need to find Aang and Sokka." she said rigidly.

They didn't waste any time, as they all spread out up along the corridor, breaking down as many heavily bolted doors as they could. It wasn't long before Zuko was the first to find Aang; chained heavily in shackles onto the wall, more so than anyone else, barely conscious.

"I've found him!" Zuko called, and they all rushed into Aang's tiny stone dungeon.

A fabric of some sort was tied around his mouth, so that he was unable to even talk. His head sagged against the grey, stone wall behind him, his grey eyes hazy from lack of water, his body drugged beyond compare.

Katara licked her lips as she approached him, checking his pulse and physical state whilst Toph broke through his chains and shackles. They all caught his still drowsy body before he fell, laying him gently on the floor as Katara drained as much water as she could from the air in the corridor, the familiar pale blue light flickering over his body once more.

"They've drugged him like crazy," she stated, her brows knitted together in concentration, and overwhelming guilt. "But I guess even the Avatar is no exception to the rebel forces."

They all watched, as Katara worked on Aang's body, as the life started to come back to his groggy eyes, as his body strengthened with the flick of her wrists. Aang groaned from the dull pain in his body, which only made Katara work faster on him from the worry.

After a few minutes, Katara helped him sit up; Aang clutched his head, opening his eyes once her fresh, sweet scent filled him after such a long time. He inadvertently watched her as she watched him, loosing himself in her overwhelming electric blue eyes.

"K-Katara..." he murmured, his eyes still hazy. He lent into her, breathing in her scent, her hair, and Zuko's stomach twisted a little. She and Toph helped him to his feet, though he staggered a little, forcing Toph to have to loop an arm around her shoulder to support him.

They were all quiet, as Aang regained his awareness around him, Toph supporting him with her own petite frame, Zuko biting his tongue over the way Aang said her name, Lee gritting his teeth as he calculated the chances of seeing his wife and unborn daughter.

But Katara's eyes somehow how found Zuko's, for reasons that neither of them were sure of; amber met azure, and they thought of waking up next to each other, of eating breakfast in the morning together, of getting intoxicated a mere 24 hours ago, and it made their hearts twist, made their stomachs, made them look away because they could not bear it.

"Why isn't Sokka here?" Toph asked abruptly, shifting Aang a little on her. "They imprison us in pairs; so why is he not with Aang?"

Katara swallowed, and opened her mouth to answer with something, anything, but no words were spoken. She started to shake a little, as she stormed back into the corridor and lashed open the remaining metal doors of the individual dungeons, her heart quickening with every vacant room she found, her mind raging.

None of the others even had time to walk out of the room and help her, for she had already knocked down every door savagely. She panted quietly in the middle of the corridor, her anger growing with every moment that passed, her body quivering furiously.

"_Where_ is Sokka?" she whispered to herself desperately. Her teeth gritted, her voice darkening as she swallowed the lump in her throat, as her filled with images of him scolding her, fighting for her, supporting her, stealing food from her, protecting her.

They all watched her from behind, worried and unsure of what to do. Zuko approached her before his mind could authorize it, stopping a little behind her, taking her hand in his, intertwining their fingers, and he didn't say or do anything else for a long moment, as they waited for Katara to do what she did best.

She finally turned, her face, body and mind rigid and hardened from that strange strength that she possessed that would reveal itself in the most darkest of times. She looked back at them, at her family, her children; though, she was one short.

Aang finally lifted himself from Toph, thanking her silently for her support, holding on to her hand firmly. His Air Nomad clothing was disheveled, and Toph smiled at him, not quite looking at him, as he squeezed her hand secretly.

Lee gritted his teeth as he thought of his own family; not just his wife and daughter, but his deceased sister that resembled Katara far too greatly, as his eyes settled on her, knowing that as long as Katara was there, his sister never really died.

Katara then finally dragged her gaze to Zuko; his strong, broad frame was a little too close to her, but she hardly cared any more. She could breathe him in, and he smelt of protection and late nights due to nightmares, and the feeling of serenity that she didn't know existed until recently.

His jaw was speckled from stubble having not shaven for a few days, but this only made him all the more charming, and she didn't mind admitting anymore. She squeezed his hand, looking up into his eyes, before turning to everyone, as they watched her expectantly.

She looked at them a little while longer, hesitating before opening her mouth to speak. She gripped Zuko's hand firmly, and he too returned the favor, and they all looked at the pair; at their mother and father.

"They've taken Sokka," Katara managed to choke out. "I don't why, or where, but...they've taken him."

"We'll get him back," Aang assured her, but they all knew it didn't mean much, even him.

He watched as Zuko's eyes softened as Katara gripped his hand even further, how she responded by looking up at him in a way she never did with him, and he realized that even in the months they were together, he never really had her. But as Toph gripped his hand back, the pain of it all lessened substantially.

"That's if he's even alive," Katara faltered, swallowing the huge lump of guilt in her throat. "That's if we even make it passed these dungeons. They're probably expecting us; and we're all weak and dehydrated. Basically, in no fighting order."

"Then our first plan of action is to get water," Zuko spoke up, strengthening himself and his voice for her. "None of us can cope well without it, and I'm not okay with you using your own blood as a weapon, Katara."

"On top of that, we should find a map," Lee added, before Katara could protest at Zuko's words. "We need to find out the quickest way of getting out of this building once retrieving Master Sokka; we cannot hang around and expect to take down this base single handedly."

"So, a map and water," Toph finalized. "Doesn't seem too difficult."

"It's...a lot more complicated," Zuko ushered. He turned to Katara. "The entire vicinity is probably weaponized with Arkhurn, right?"

Katara nodded stiffly. "Without a doubt."

"What's Arkhurn?" Aang asked.

Katara straightened, her grip on Zuko's hand not wavering before she answered.

"It's a poison that the rebels created, their weapons are soaked in it; one scratch, and that's all it takes to die. Deterioration to death depends on how much you physically exert yourself; hence, benders are more prone to this."

"You can't heal us if we're cut?" Toph questioned, her brows furrowing as she swallowed.

Katara pressed her lips together. "I can heal your wound, but once the Arkhurn is in your bloodstream, there's nothing I can do; I have no such resources to drain it from your body here. Even if I did, there's no way I could perform it in battle, let alone taking in to account how many times the treatment would have to be done in order to completely strip it from your body."

"Basically, just don't get hit," Zuko finalized. "Not even a scratch; that's all it takes."

Aang wavered a little, Toph not needing to feel for his heart beat in order to determine this. He moved a little closer to her, to which she was surprised at, but she did not say anything, only continue to grip his hand.

Katara then let go of Zuko's hand, much to both of their dismay; she whipped her arms in the air, droplets of water forming in the palm of her open hand, clumping together from the quantity after a few minutes.

"Drink this," she ordered to everyone. "It has to last you until we find more water."

They didn't hesitate to comply with her; allowing Katara to split the water equally between them all as she raised the water to their lips, quenching their thirst, if only for a little while.

They had all noticed that the air had become a little drier, realizing that Katara had virtually drawn from it as much water as she could for drinking, leaving only enough for them to all respire simultaneously for a few more minutes.

"We need a game plan," Lee stated, his piercing green eyes alive and vivid. "We can't just run out of here bending like maniacs; we need some system to follow, at least."

"You're a general, alright," Toph commented with a smirk, Lee returning one also.

Aang, Toph and Lee all made their way to the end of the corridor, huddling together whilst brainstorming a tactical way in which to infiltrate enough of the base in order to escape, though, not enough to draw wide attention to a building they didn't even know the size of, let alone the capacity of its army.

Katara stepped forward to join them, but Zuko grabbed her wrist before she could. She turned to him, confusion on her expression as she looked up find his golden eyes, intense and intoxicating as they fixated on her.

"I need to talk to you," Zuko muttered in his low voice, pulling her into one of the tiny dungeons before Katara could protest.

They stopped inside, and she faced him, patiently waiting for him to start talking. Zuko gritted his teeth as he watched her; her static blue eyes burning him, almost, her long curly wild and fierce, her water tribe tunic and pants wrinkled a little, though hugged her figure in a way that was rather hard to resist.

"Katara..." Zuko started, but he paused, loosing words already. "Look, I...I know that if I should say anything, now would be the time to do it. Let's face it, we're probably going to die here, and we have nothing to loose, so-"

"No," she said quietly, yet firmly as she stepped towards him. She breathed him in, since she knew this would probably be the last time she could appreciate it. "I don't want to say goodbyes. Not yet."

Zuko's brows furrowed as he continued to gaze at her. "But, Katara-"

"But nothing," she cut off sharply. "Goodbyes aren't until the very end, Zuko. And since it hasn't come to that yet, I don't want to mention it, or even talk about it."

He scowled at her. "You're so stubborn! I want to tell you something..._important_, but..."

He wavered when he felt her arms wrap around his back, her petite body pressing against his firm one. She pressed her cheek onto his clothed chest, and listened to his heat beat as he had no choice but to pull her even closer to him, burying his face in her hair. She savoured this, they both did, maybe a little more than what they should have.

"Please don't, Zuko," she pleaded quietly, and in an effort to perfect what he knew would be nice memory to think about if he were to die today (which was more than likely), he complied, and breathed in her fresh scent, allowing himself to be intoxicated by it.

* * *

"Are you ready?" Katara asked everyone, turning back to look at them one last time.

Lee had his stance ready, going over metal bending techniques in his mind that Toph had taught to him at the last minute, his strong stature readying itself for combat, readying itself for the unexpected.

Aang straightened, feeling a little bare without his staff; he knew he could just make another, but it still wasn't the same without it. He licked his lips, his youth far too apparent for Katara's liking, and he thought of everything he had learnt in the past two years, regarding bending, and non bending alike.

Toph was born ready; though, she played with her space metal bracelet on her wrist as she thought of the boy, her brother, who had given it to her. This only sparked anger in her, almost as fierce as Katara's, as she nodded firmly.

Katara's eyes fell to Zuko; she could see his muscles arms swelling in his shirt, momentarily itching at the stubble on his chin, which she found hard to resist. His golden eyes burned, ablaze and wild, and this sparked even more strength within her.

"Remember; not even a scratch." she uttered firmly, her blue eyes fierce and alive.

With that, and a stamp of Toph and Lee's feet, the huge metal exit of the dungeon corridor went flying off of its hinges, bent and broken beyond repair, skidding across the stone floor with a sharp clatter and bang.

They all ran out down the ridiculously long corridor, Toph and Lee skidding on the stone underneath their feet, Zuko's gliding, orange and reds flaring at his own feet, Aang gliding on his trademark ball of air, Katara thrusting her body forward by manipulating the blood from within, to which everyone was alarmed by, but turned a blind eye to.

Eventually, they saw some rebels, two women and two men; clad in a sickly dark violet tunic and pants, with huge dual swords, wreaking of Arkhurn, strapped their backs, crossed over one another.

They were taken by surprise as the group bombarded towards them; Toph summoning a wall between them to separate them, Lee knocking out one of them after sending some stone reeling into their stomach.

Aang sent out a gust of air, knocking the remaining rebels to their feet quickly. But they were up again, pulling their swords from their backs before hurtling towards Aang, ready to slice away at him.

But before they could even come close to him, Katara whipped her blood around them, binding their hips together so that they could not move. They struggled a little, Zuko knocked them out before they could think of anything else to do, and Katara allowed their limp bodies to fall onto the floor with a thud.

The remaining rebel took a deathly swing at Toph, to which she blocked instantly; Aang then used the air to engulf the weapon and throw it away from the rebel, leaving her useless, as Lee struck her from behind, leaving her unconscious body to sag onto the floor.

"That wasn't too hard," Toph commented with a grin.

Katara glanced down at the long corridor. "I can sense 7 vessels, down there, in some sort of communal room; how about you, Toph?"

The young master paused. "Spot on, Sugar Queen."

"Then let's go," Zuko said firmly. "There's bound to be some water down there."

"Maybe even a map," Aang added, before they continued to bombard down the tunneling corridor.

Once reaching the end, the similar metal door of the communal room was guarded by a couple of rebels, both of which were taken out easily. The real problem was inside the room itself.

Five rebels sat there as Zuko blew the door open with overpowering flames, jumping up at the sight of the master benders standing there. But with a few bursts of blood, thuds of stone and gushes of air, they were already plummeting to the ground, unconscious.

The room was like a small, standard kitchen; with a tap, and few old sofas strewn about, and a huge map of the entire building plastered up onto the wall. Katara broke the tap off of the wall with her blood, sending gallons of water spraying out for everyone to drink.

Whilst she healed the small gash on her shoulder she had aggravated from drawing blood from, Zuko smashed the glass case of the map on the wall, spreading it out over the small worktop as he, Katara and Lee crowded round it, whilst Aang and Toph watched the door.

Katara eyes fixated on the map, her brows knitting together as her mind processed the information. She glanced at Zuko, who swallowed nervously, before glancing back at her. Lee pressed his lips together as he too understood, suddenly wishing that he hadn't.

After the rather long pause, Toph grew impatient at the doorway. "Well? What does it say?"

Katara straightened, inhaling sharply before continuing. "There are 5 Levels, the 5th being the ground floor; our way out."

"So, which floor are we on?" Aang asked, his eyes fixated on Katara.

She gritted her teeth. "We're on Level 1."

There was a long pause as Katara's words ran through everyone's minds, and nobody knew what else to say. They just looked at each other, before looking away again, biting their lips, trying to fuel the flames of the hope that was dying rapidly.

Zuko continued, not wanting to calculate the possibility of making it out of this alive. "There's this large room on every floor; on the side of it, there's an elevator to the next Level, kick started by earthbending."

"In order to escape, we must get to these rooms," Lee said firmly. "They're directly above on another, which makes it a lot easier for us, except we have to cross the entire room to get to the next elevator."

"But they're filled with heavily armed rebels," Katara finished stiffly. "There are probably around 50 odd rebels in one floor, times that by 5, and the risk of injury which will no doubt slow us down, the time it takes to heal...it'll be a tight squeeze."

"That's another thing," Zuko added. "It takes the elevator 11 minutes to get to the next floor. In that time, at least, we can heal and prepare for the next Level."

"11 minutes?" Aang questioned, brown eyes alive. "How far down are we from the surface?"

Lee, Zuko and Katara all looked at each other, and none of them answered, and in essence, this was an answer in itself. They all paused, not knowing what to do or say, but they all knew that they couldn't stay here, at the very least."

"I think I can sense it," Toph announced. "That humongous room; I could probably get us there, but I might need a bit of help, since I don't know exactly where to go. You know, being blind and stuff."

They all grinned at her, and for a second, everything felt like it did just over a year ago when they were all huddled in the Western Air Temple, laughing and joking about things that really weren't that funny.

"Me and Zuko will read the map; Aang and Lee, help Toph with sustaining balance," Katara confirmed. "Everyone, drink and eat something, anything you can find here. It's going to have to last us until Agni knows how long."

They all complied instantly; they didn't talk or exchange hollow pleasantries whilst they ate and drank. They just sat in silence, preparing themselves for something they would most likely die from, and darted between waiting to fight and waiting to die.

* * *

**Level 1:**

Toph engulfed them all in a large stone cube, sending them all hurtling towards the direction that Katara and Zuko read out from the map, as they moved through the underground walls of the building, veering left and right in order to.

On arrival of the huge room, crouching down as they jumped off of Toph's huge slab of stone, they knew that up until this point, they had all had it easy; far too easy. The corridors were nothing but a speck of dust to what greeted them.

The room was no doubt, far bigger than what everyone had initially interpreted; it was similar to the size of the sparring arena Katara had destroyed back in the Fire Nation, if not even bigger. The entire place was lined with rebels; watching waiting.

They stood in uniform lines next to the wall, all clad in their violet tunics and pants; identical, yet irregular. Each one was armed in a certain way that could not be judged from the group all stood; some had maces, others swords, or daggers, or arrows, some needles.

The smell of Arkhurn overwhelmed them.

Everyone in the room paused, and Aang, Toph, Lee, Zuko and Katara took in the sight before; what they all full well knew may be their last. But Sokka's mind flashed through Katara, and she knew that this was no time to falter.

"Not a scratch." Katara warned them, reminded them; her blue eyes were far too fierce, far too rigid, even a little merciless.

She then swiftly drew out the water she had taken from the communal room out of the pouches she had fashioned from the old cloth she found there, springing into action as she glided head first into the masses and masses of rebels.

The other four swiftly followed her; they burned and blew and crashed with stone, and the rebels in this room proved to be ridiculously strong, compared to that of which they had battled in the corridors.

Sound erupted as everyone leapt into combat, swords swinging and lurching; the four elements in different points of the room, struggling a little as rebel upon rebel bombarded them, since they were clearly outmatched.

But Katara was growing desperate; images of Sokka played at her mind. Of him scolding her for finding out she had once kissed a boy in the market place of the Fire Nation, of him crying into her hair at night when their mother died, of him pleading her to make beef stew, since it was favorite, of him wincing as she would stitch up his wounds, even though he assured her it didn't hurt at all.

This inevitably spilled into her combat; she was a little harsh, a little too cruel as she whipped away with a flick of her arm, diving into a huge group of them and swirling water around her so that they all went flying halfway across the room, thudding against the stone walls as they groaned in agony.

She grabbed the collar of one of them, shaking from anger, tears filling her eyes as she practically bared her teeth at his sickly smiling face, blood running heavily from his nose from the blow he has sustained from her.

"WHERE IS MY BROTHER?" Katara bellowed in his face, her eyes deadly, her voice cracking.

The rebel man cackled, hollow and pungent, choking a little on his blood. His voice was eery and impersonal, unforgiving and held no such resentment as he whispered into her face. "You'll find him on 3, _Lady Katara. _Or at least, what's left of him."

Katara jolted at him, terror filling her so harshly that she could feel the vomit in her throat. She growled loudly at him, livid as she threw his body across the room, hitting the stone walls with a sickening thud as his body dropped to the ground.

More rebels came at her from behind, but she was too angry to even try; she flicked the water to their bodies, whipping them back like flies, her desperation overwhelming her, sickening her, as Sokka's voice from the pivotal, and non pivotal points in her life filled her.

Zuko dived into the air, flipping and thrusting fire at a huddle of rebels, knocking them to the ground easily. He picked up some two of the dual swords they had dropped and used that to defend himself at the rebels that tried to attack them from behind, crossing them together over his body and pushing as he threw their bodies away.

He drop kicked the one of them tried to sneak up on him, fire blazing and burning even as they hit the ground. He could see that the numbers were starting to deteriorate now, finally. Ducking at another attack he felt coming, hurtling fire towards said area, a part of him started to think that maybe they could get through this floor with no casualties at all-

But Zuko should've known his luck.

Toph's scream pierced through him, through all of them, as their heads snapped up to find her dangling in the air, upside down, a rebel man grasping her ankle as she cried. Toph's tears dripped onto the floor as she tried to search for ground, for sight, and when she could not find any, despite her panicked struggle, she cried even harder.

"What are you without your _feet_?" the man hissed at her, using her free hand to draw out a long machete, the Arkhurn still dripping from it, as she swung it at Toph's ankles.

But Katara was already there, slashing at the man with a deadly water whip, and crimson sprayed onto the stone floor as her body fell with a hollow thud. Katara caught Toph, settling her on the ground so that she could see and drying her tears quickly, checking her for further injuries, narrowing her eyes at the dark purple bruise on her ankle-

Aang's scream was next; cracking in the middle and echoing throughout the room. The four of them saw him; as a rebel woman placed a hand firmly on the back on his shoulder and grabbed his wrist and pulled mercilessly, and they all heard the sound of the bone being pulled out his socket, at his piercing scream that unnerved them sickeningly.

"Avatar or not," the woman spat. "You're just a _kid_."

Zuko didn't hesitate; drawing in a sharp breath, he jutted out his fingers and struck her with lightening. It was blue and electric and sounded like chirping birds, but this was muted by the scream of the woman as her body convulsed violently before hitting smacking the ground with a sickening thump.

Zuko rushed to Aang, cursing violently under his breath as he gathered his shuddering body in his arms, being careful of his dislocated shoulder. He swung with his feet at the rebels that approached him, his brows furrowed as he felt how limp Aang was getting.

"GET TO THE ELEVATOR!" Lee screamed, hoisting Toph into his arms, since she couldn't stop sobbing from the trauma that had already found her, and his eyes softened down at her as she curled up against him, since she felt a lot like Karui.

They all huddled into the stoned elevator that was only double the size of the dungeons; with a stamp of Lee's foot, stone walls slid together and closed the exit as they all hurled upwards to the next floor.

Lee then set Toph down in the corner, holding her whilst she sobbed quietly, clutching her feet close to her. Zuko settled Aang down gently, leaning him against the wall. He held his hand whilst Katara whipped out her water, the pale azure flickering as she engulfed Aang's shoulder, panting a little from running, licking her lips in concentration.

Aang was panicked at his immobile arm; he started to hyper ventilate as it burned and ached, tears filling his grey eyes, spilling over them from the pain that filled him, the pain he couldn't describe, and the adrenaline lessend, making his shoulder far less numb.

Zuko held his hand firmly. "Look at me, Aang," he uttered, in an effort to calm him, which he had had a fair amount of practice at until now; remembering the lamb he had helped delivered with Katara, and the girl who had burned her entire arm.

Katara withdrew her water, kneeling down to Aang. "Zuko, I have to push the bone back into the socket." she stated flatly. She edged closer to Aang, eyes fierce and alive. "Calm him."

"Wh-What?" Aang spluttered, turning to her, but Zuko turned his head back to face his.

"Do you remember that one time when Momo went missing?" Zuko asked. "It was when we were in the Western Air Temple; we hadn't seen him for like, three days! Do you know what happened to him?"

Aang blinked, before somehow grinning. "I found him a few yards away from the temple, with a _girl _lemur. I think it must've been mating season or something a few months back, since she had a few lemur babies with her."

"Really?" Zuko prompted. "Momo's a dad?"

Aang grinned. "I know, I was just as weirded out when I found them. They're still there, though, in the Western Air Temple; Momo and his wife, which I named Hazin, and babies. I named the girl Chuka and the boy Teeko, and they actually kept me company whilst I was-"

Aang jolted as Katara held his arm firmly and popped his shoulder back into the socket, with a loud crack, that filled the entire room. His head sagged back against the wall as he fell out consciousness, and Katara drew out water to heal it even further.

"Do you think he'll have mobility of his arm by Level 2?" Zuko asked, his eyes fixated on her.

Her hair stuck to her face from perspiration, but she had no time to push it aside as she continued to heal. She glanced up at his Zuko, his golden eyes watching her, making her heart skip a beat, since he was looking far too irresistible considering the circumstances.

"He'll be able to do the basics, just nothing too extreme," she replied, licking her lips.

After a few minutes, Katara had finished, and she let out a deep sigh as she settled herself beside Toph. She didn't say anything; just took her hand as Toph hiccuped from all the crying, just clasped it firmly as they waited.

* * *

**_Toph_****_;_**

_When I left Ba Sing Se, my home, my country, my family, I know that most people think that a part of me was saddened, even if only a little bit, even if I didn't show it. But the truth was, there was no part of any of those things that held any kind of significance to me. _

_They were all just things that I happened to have in my life; things that happened to be there, through no choice or appreciation on my part. It's not that I wasn't grateful for having such things; but I was far from relishing in it._

_I barely ever even saw any of Ba Sing Se properly, since my parents would never let me out of their sight. I was imprisoned, alone and furious for so so long, at so many different things, at so many different people, including myself._

_My home didn't feel right; like it was missing something, like it had a fault in it that no one could ever quite suss out. It didn't matter if it was filled with delicious food or expensive things; if you didn't have anyone to share it with, these things were just hollow victories._

_My country was in war; it was just about fighting, and how to get the money to buy the resources in order to fight more. It wasn't that patriotic; it was just about crushing the Fire Nation, which I guess at the time was everyone's main concern. _

_My family, pssh, if I can even call it that; consisted of a mother who never knew quite what to say to the daughter that could never completely look back at her, and a father who spent all of his time either raging silently about why it had to be me, born like this, or stopping me from doing so much as take a walk in my own garden once it was late, in fear that I would somehow manage to impair myself even further._

_They were biologically my mother and father; but they weren't really mine. They would do what any set of good parents would; read me stories, buy me nice things, teach me good morals and all that other stuff that is deemed 'important'._

_But even now, seeing them almost everyday, they don't understand me. They don't understand why I don't let anyone help me whilst getting dressed, why I'm so brash and forward, why prefer little things, the minute things, the things that don't really matter, over the things that can be bought with the meaningless paper that fills their purses. _

_And I accepted that nobody ever would understand such things; that these things that define you aren't for anyone else to learn and admire. They're just things that make you a little different from a stranger in the street you walk past on a busy day._

_But then I met Katara. _

_She's just...everything that I thought never existed. She looked at me; at my crude comments (which I find pretty damn hilarious), my weakened morals, my unwillingness to change, and she loved me, despite of all of these things, despite not really having a reason to._

_That's what always confused me about her; she didn't have to feel that way. She didn't have to care. It wasn't like I was a distant relative, or someone she had sworn to care for. I was just some girl, travelling with her solely to train the Avatar._

_After a while, I admit, we did become friends; talking about things that we hadn't spoken to anyone about, laughing as Sokka would do something stupid (which was often), helping each other out in tricky situations._

_But that's all I thought I was to her; just a friend, probably a best friend._

_But one day, she made it apparent to me that she did not just think of me as 'just a best friend' at all. It was when we were in the Western Air Temple, around noon-ish, but I don't really remember, for the reason I am about to explain. _

_I had been walking around in some woods all day; I like feeling of nature around me, since that's when I can see the most. I can feel everything, every little thing in that entire forest, and for a few seconds, there is no war, no sadness, no death. _

_But I guess the shrubs I had been walking around in at some point were poisonous; I got this rash all over my entire body, and it freakin' _killed._ Not only was I scratching the living day lights out of myself, I was woozy, with a high temperature and the inability to even speak properly. _

_Katara had sussed this out almost immediately; she made this incredible soup thing for dinner, which tasted a lot more awesome than it probably was, since I felt like death. She sent me to bed early, but I was awake for hours. _

_My rashes were so, so painful; kinda like a burn, or a really terrible bruise that you can barely touch. Except, it was coursing through the entire length of my body, making sleep a task that was proven to impossible at the time. _

_She had come to check up on me, and I didn't need to be able to see in order to know she was looking at me worriedly. She then created this weird method of healing; encasing my body in water, soothing my rash, lulling me to sleep. _

_I felt almost normal again, and would nod off frequently, but everytime Katara would pull away from me with the water, it burned again, a pain like no other, no matter how hard I tried to not show it. _

_"It's okay," she said, and I could hear her smiling softly. "I'll just hold the water around you until you fall asleep." _

_I shook my head, since that was all I could do to disagree, but Katara is probably the only person I know who is just as stubborn as me; though, I guess the sight of what felt like my welting skin must've swayed her, also. _

_"It's fine, Toph," she assured. "Go to sleep. The sooner you do, the sooner I can leave!" _

_That's when I knew I was sick out of my mind, since I actually believed her. I felt amazing the next morning, but less amazing when I saw Katara still knelt over me, engulfing me with water, and I could feel her exhaustion, without even having to reach out to the earth to see._

_"I couldn't sleep anyways," she told me, for I could scold her. "Thought I should at least do something productive whilst I was awake."_

_I think that's when I realized that Katara wasn't just a girl I was forced to accept as a friend; she was like the sister I never had, giving me advice, solving my problems. She was the father I had always longed for; with unwavering strength and determination, with an undying pride for me that I could achieve anything and everything I wanted to, without anyone to hold my hand. _

_But most of all, she is the mother that Agni never blessed me with; laughing at my jokes, wiping my tears away at night, telling about the good times, the fun times, scolding me for my own good, even though I despised it so. _

_Katara is...everything none of us could live without._

_And I guess the only good thing that resulted from me keeping her up all night was the very worried Sparky that followed her around all day to make sure she wouldn't pass out from exhaustion; at this point, those two idiots were already obliviously infatuated with each other._

_Zuko is good for her; great for her, in fact, though no one will admit it. He would take care of her when she refused to take care of herself, which is often, way too often. He is also the strength that kept her going, that kept her sane, though I know she won't admit it. _

_Together, they were our mother and father; our real mother and father. _

_And soon enough, after relishing in Sparky and Sugar Queen's endless arguments, after getting scolded by her a few too many times, after staring up at the stars next to her, even though I couldn't see it, on the days neither of us could sleep, I succumbed to needing her. _

_Soon enough, Katara became the strength that I will never admit I have trouble letting go of._

* * *

Oooooh! Toph gets a segment! How lovely and different is what I'm hoping you're all thinking...? :) I hope you find reading about her fun; I loved writing it, putting myself in her shoes and stuff :)

But...Toph doesn't wear shoes, so...:\

Hope you enjoyed this chapter; I certainly enjoyed writing it! Thanks for all the amazing support; you all have no idea how much of a smiling idiot I look whilst reading your reviews :P

And sorry for this chapter being ridiculously long; I had to merge the Level 1 battle with Toph's monologue thingy, PLUS the whole waking up in a dungeon for Zutara and blah blah...

Regardless, please leave a review, beautiful :)

- Yin

P.S. sorry about the description; I am so shit at writing action stuff!


	16. Chapter 15

I'm finding it hard to think of different ways of saying hello...

So here is chapter 15; trying to get as much of this fic completed within the next three weeks as possible; since that's when my brothers get home from uni and monstrosity ensues. Meaning I'll have no time to write till September...but hopefully you will all wait around for me :)

Please leave a review :)

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Level 2: **

Lee broke the silence, since someone had to.

"Katara," he addressed firmly, in an attempt to sound self assured. He hauled himself up from his spot in the stone elevator, not bothering to brush himself off. "We'll reach Level 2 in 3 minutes. I suggest you wake Avatar Aang."

Katara paused for a moment, glancing at him, and then at the still unconscious Aang. She bit her lip, but got up shakily despite this, pushing her doubts and worries aside, summoning up her courage yet again.

Zuko watched her as she let go of Toph's hand reluctantly, her clear blue eyes hardening as Lee dragged her back to reality. Her lips pressed together, and she glanced at him, but it was only for less than a moment, making him wonder whether it even happened.

Katara moved to crouch in front of Aang's small form, laying a hand on his cheek warily. "Aang," she said quietly, a little too quietly; her reluctance to awaken him getting the better of her. "Aang, you have you get up."

She shook him gently, far too gently, and his body remained still. But before she could shake him harder, or attempt to raise her voice, or even argue with Lee as to why he could stay in blissful unconsciousness for a minute longer, Toph crawled over to him, kneeling beside him dutifully, which silently stunned everyone.

She wasn't quite looking at him, the way she would never quite look at anything, but her hands were her eyes; finding its way to Aang's cold cheek, the warmth of it making him stir a little before she spoke.

"Wake up, twinkletoes," she murmured, and she even managed to smile a little, somehow. "I can't carry your sleepy ass all the way to Level 5 and outta here; even if I wanted to."

At this, Aang's eyes opened groggily, and he groaned loudly at the dull ache in his shoulder that still hurt, even if it was only a little; his face moved against Toph's small hand that was still planted on his cheek, and he paused before lifting his head up and looking at her.

Lee's brows knitted together. "1 minute, 30 seconds."

They all stood up, slowly and hesitantly. Katara turned to check everyone one last time; her eyes roaming Lee's body, swiftly moving to Toph's as she found nothing, the same thing occurring as her azure eyes darted to Aang, lingering at his shoulder.

And then Katara's eyes fell to Zuko's body, and she paused. She checked his body quickly all the same, not wanting to look at his eyes. When she found nothing, she couldn't stop herself from stealing one last look at him.

At his messy ebony hair and his strong jaw covered in stubble that she found irresistible; his eyes looked so soft, so gentle, and she wondered why or how. His lips were pink and full and perfect, and he licked them as he too gazed at her.

Her mocha skin gleamed from its delicacy, and he could see her teeth grinding together from her jaw tensing wildly as she just stared at him. Her curly hair framed her too perfectly, her blue eyes like icy fire, and he was filled with the urge to say all of the things he knew that he shouldn't; in a time like this, or not.

They both opened their mouths to say something, but-

"15 seconds." Lee's low voice spoke gently, and he hated his words as much as they did.

They readied themselves, as much as they could, anyway. Aang strengthened, straightening his back and giving Toph's hand a light squeeze before letting go of it completely. Toph didn't falter either; taking in a deep breathe as she felt with her feet that they were approaching their destination too rapidly.

Lee clenched his fists, his forest green eyes alive and wild and as prepared as they would ever be (which was not much at all). His strong build stiffened and strengthened by the thought of his wife and unborn child back at the Fire Nation, and that was more than enough to fuel him, even though he had no idea what to expect.

Zuko swallowed, with great difficulty, stepping forward, his chest brushing against Katara's back, and he didn't care; what did he have to loose, or to regret? He didn't see the point in holding back, since the chances of him being alive to face the consequences were so little.

Katara almost gasped as she felt the warmth of Zuko's firm chest press against her back; but instead of despairing over it, she relished in it instead. She allowed his touch to empower her, to solidify her, as she jutted out her wrist and instantly drew water from her makeshift pouch, and she leaned against him one last time.

"3 seconds," Lee ushered. He turned to them, his face twisting in resentment as he was forced to note their youth, their status, and the innocence that had been stripped so unfairly from them. "Don't die."

The stone doors flew apart, and there was no time for anything else to be said or felt.

They all rushed out, Katara creating shields of ice to block the inevitable arrows and daggers that were thrown at all of them. Toph and Lee rushed either side of her, summoning up walls of stone to force forwards and knock some rebels off their feet, though many of them dodged and deflected, to which both of them hissed at.

Aang leaped upwards, slicing at the air with his good arm and his legs at the spears that were thrown at them. This baracade was working well enough, until Zuko spotted the rebel archers aligning on the far side of the room.

He ran knelt quickly, striking his arms out and lining the entire room with fire, sending some lightening to travel momentarily through it whilst he was at it. They all dispersed whilst Zuko's fire distracted the rebels, sneaking up behind them before attacking them with their element a little viciously, their survival instincts taking control.

Katara raised the water into sharp discs, changing the state of them to ice before throwing them out to cut the blades off the weapons of the rebels in front of her. The hesitated a little, staring at their now useless weapons momentarily before charging at her.

It was clear that they weren't as skilled in hand to hand combat, Katara noted, as she easily flicked them away with her water, sending them flying much harder and faster than what they had initially thought.

But this luck came a price, as she could feel Aang and Toph's bodies start to fatigue a little, from their young age and both the mental and physical stress; but she was forced to ignore this, whilst whipping away a huge huddle of rebels with just a single pale of water, sending them crying out as they crashed against the wall.

There weren't many rebels remaining, but they proved to be the most skilled, to which everyone noted immediately as they easily deflected or dodged the attacks thrown at them with ease.

Zuko hissed, before clapping his hands together and releasing a huge gust of treacherous fire at the small number of rebels. They flipped upwards, Aang using this to his advantage by forcing the ground upwards so that gravity pushed them down to smack against it.

They all groaned a little from the initial pain, before darting; everywhere and anywhere. This inevitably threw them all off, resulting in a mass of poor aims and failing hit or engulf their targets.

Toph ran to the center, signalling everyone to join her. She raised her arms, jumping and smacking the earth with her fist to make the ground jolt and shudder, causing the running rebels to trip and fall onto the floor.

Toph grinned, whilst Lee encased their bodies in earth with a swing of his arms and a stamp of his foot. They all paused for a second, panting with small smiles, turning to dash to the elevator, before reality struck.

The walls raised in small openings all over the massive room, and more and more rebels flooded out of them; with new weapons, some with none at all, indicating that they were benders, and highly skilled ones at that.

They all watched, agape, whilst the hope of making it through this alive faded with the longer they watched the rebels flood out. Toph gritted her teeth, Aang clenched his fists, Lee blasphemised under his breathe, Zuko growled, and Katara merely swallowed.

Zuko cursed under his breathe, swinging his arms backwards and creating two deadly fire whips on either hand. He glanced at Aang, who had taken up the octopus formation with some water borrowed from Katara, whilst she just drew more and more water from the air, pushing it to her feet and raising herself up, enabling her to hover over the new army of rebels.

Toph and Lee took their stances, before Katara spoke up.

"Not _one _scratch," she uttered firmly yet again, and before any of them had time to falter, they were off.

* * *

Zuko swung his fire whips at a rebel earthbender, who ducked and threw stone at him at an impossibly fast speed; Zuko grunted as he deflected the huge stone, whipping his fire reigns at it to send it flying back at it's creator.

He panted, and fatigue started to catch up on him; his muscles ached, his legs weaker than normal, and he cursed loudly as he dodged the Arkhurn engulfed daggers that flew sharply at his head in a life threatening manner.

This was getting tedious, he knew, as he ignited his arms in vibrant reds and oranges.

Katara ducked and swung away from the weapons that flew at her, slashing her water around her to protect her body at anyone who may try to kill her then and there, on the spot. She spun the pale of water faster and faster around her, making it grow in size so abruptly that rebels who were within a few yards of her were sent flying and groaning.

She froze a couple more rebels that were sharp on her tail, panting heavily as she searched for her friends; Toph was struggling, her walls of earth not being sufficient enough for the rebels that destroyed it just as quickly.

Aang, however, was there to defend her; slashing water at them in a steadfast manner, punching the air and releasing a burst of fire at a herd of rebels that propelled towards them, stamping his foot and sending stone to slam into the stomachs of any strays.

Lee and Zuko were holding their own, but were fatiguing considerably, Katara noted, flipping backwards and spinning the bodies of the rebels that had attacked her whilst she deciphered this.

But this was getting ridiculous; there were too many of them, and too little of their gang. For every one of them, there were at least 25 rebels, meaning that the odds were looking terrible, meaning that it was a blessing from Agni in itself that she hadn't had to heal anyone as of yet, meaning that the prospect of survival was-

Katara heard the thud of a fist pound into Toph's stomach, making the young girl fall to her knees, keeled over and clutching her bruised abdomen. This, however, did not last long, since a rebel grabbed her now less than perfect bun and snagged it backwards, making Toph hiss and cry out from the burning in her scalp.

Aang screamed her name, but was otherwise occupied with the swarm of rebels that attempted to engulf him, forcing him to leap out of their huddle and fight each one individually, growling at how he wasn't given the time to save her.

Katara's response was immediate; she glided to Toph, water forcing her body forward at a ridiculously fast speed. She slammed into the rebel that gripped Toph's hair, sending him flying as he hit the wall on the other side of the room.

Katara pulled the water about her hands, moving to Toph's stomach as the pale blue glow flickered. Her brows knitted together as Toph's head lolled backwards; her skin was definitely bruised, her organs in distress from the blow, and Toph rolled out of Katara's reach as she vomited onto the stone ground.

"Toph," Katara spoke, her words filled with worry and stress as she clutched her small body whilst she continued to empty the contents of whatever it was in her stomach. Toph groaned as Katara pulled her bangs back, vomiting harder, Katara gritting her teeth as she observed the blood amongst the vomit.

But before Katara had time to think of how to heal her next, she felt it. She felt the spear fly towards Toph's body, could feel the droplets of Arkhurn glide across the blade as it cut through the air, making a swishing sound, and she did not hesitate.

Katara covered flattened Toph's small body to the ground with her own, scrunching her face as she waited for the spear to embed itself into her back; for the burning pain and the slow death that would follow if the weapon itself somehow had not managed to kill her.

She waited and waited for two whole seconds, her eyes snapping open as she felt nothing. She turned, her blue eyes widening grossly at the sight, her body quivering, stammering, as her mouth dropped and the breathe within her vanished.

Lee was still panting as he staggered a little, hissing down at the spear embedded in his abdomen. He groaned loudly, before falling to his knees, coughing at the blood in his throat, hearing Zuko's and Katara's screams and Aang's yells and the sound of Toph's vomit splattering against the stone floor.

"LEE!" Katara roared, as her body clenched so tightly, she couldn't breathe.

Lee doubled a little, blood splattering the ground as he coughed. It was so so dark, the deepest red Katara had seen for a long time. But before she could even let go of Toph and rush to aid him, two more spears lodged themselves into his shoulder and right side of his chest.

Zuko lurched at the rebel throwing the spears, swinging fire at them with his legs viciously; but he dodged and flipped away, signalling that the fight was still continuing, no matter how much Lee's red red blood imprinted itself into her memory.

Katara moved Toph's body expertly onto her back, holding her legs as she lifted her body into air along with her own as she glided to Lee as fast she could, her heart racing, her mind spewing medical jargon that she knew was no longer applicable.

She got to him, eventually; Toph using whatever she could of her remaining energy to ripple the ground under the rebels' feet that tried to attack them. Katara panted, half from exhaustion, half from complete fear, as she skidded towards Lee on her knees, water already engulfing her hands as she face creased in turmoil at the three spears lodged into his body.

"Shit; shit, shit, _shit,__" _she swore, her hands shaking violently, uncertain of which wound to start with; each being as deadly as each other. Katara grimaced; she could heal him, if she had the time and the supplies, if rebels weren't attacking them at this very second.

Lee laughed weakly at her, his green captivating, even as they dulled significantly with every passing second. Blood ran from the corners of his mouth, trailing down his chin that was covered in stubble.

"You shouldn't curse like that," he spoke weakly. "You're setting a bad example for Toph."

Katara stifled a sob, as she felt his heart weaken; now just a dull thud in his chest. "Lee, you _idiot_," she seethed, tears of anger filling her eyes, because she did not want to accept what her mind was telling her about his condition. "What the hell is _wrong_with you? Why did-"

"You think I'd just let you die?" he laughed a little, choking on his blood. "What kind of a big brother do you think I am, Karui?"

Katara's eyes widened, and her hard twisted so hard it hurt inside of her chest. She closed her eyes, tears running from them as she grasped Lee's hand tightly, pressing her forehead firmly to it as she gritted her teeth.

She didn't want to correct him.

Not like this.

The blood that erupted from Lee's mouth splattered Toph as she turned to Katara, shaking wildly and feverishly. She tried to wipe the blood off of her face, but she only smeared it all over her, making her even more distressed.

"K-Katara," she whispered, panting as she held in her sobs. She heard the sound of Aang grunting as he held off the rebels, who only advanced just as quickly as he slated them. "What do we do?"

Katara faltered, opening her mouth to speak, but nothing came out of her mouth. Her eyes darted between Toph and Lee, her hands gripping Lee's harder and harder as the decision dawned on her.

Zuko glided to them, the fire hissing at his feet; once he had reached them, he knelt beside Katara, pulling Toph's weak body onto his so that Katara didn't have to worry about that at least. Though, his face creased as he took in Lee's state, and the Toph's tears on his shirt.

"Katara," he said as gently as he could, but he knew it would never be gentle enough. "We have to leave."

Katara grinded her teeth together, turning to Lee and shaking her head, since she knew if she opened her mouth, her tears would only multiply. Lee only smiled at her, his perfect teeth tinged red, his emerald green eyes dangerously dull.

"Go," he said simply, quietly. "There's no point in staying; you, being a healer, knows that better than anyone."

Katara closed her eyes tightly, knowing that he was right. She could hear Aang struggling to keep the rebels away from them, and knew that time was a luxury that none of them could afford at a place like this.

She leaned closer to Lee, pressing a firm kiss to his forehead, unable to stop a sob from escaping as her lips lingered onto his olive skin. She wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of her hand, laying a hand on his neck and forcing herself to look him in the eye.

"No one will ever forget you." Katara stated quietly. "You're a hero."

Lee grinned. "Well, I wouldn't say that."

But no more could be said, as Zuko swallowed hard, blinking back his own tears. "Katara, we have to hurry."

Katara paused, only for a second, as she took one more look at Lee, before standing up. Zuko did the same, hoisting Toph onto his back as they both turned to look at Lee, the three spears sticking out of his body too unregularly.

"Tell Sheena I love her," he whispered, since that was the extent his voice could offer. "And tell the baby to never give up."

Katara straightened, gritting her teeth, nodding curtly before they fled. They glided, whipping through what was left of the rebels straight towards the elevator, grabbing Aang's body as they did so, before collapsing messily into the small stoned shell, Toph whipping her arms as she forced the door shut and sent them hurtling upwards.

They all panted, adrenaline and anxiety and fear filling them, as they crawled and sat on the floor of the stone elevator. Aang and Toph sat closely together, gripping onto each other's hand like a life line as they let their heads drop back to touch the wall.

Zuko's broad shoulder brushed Katara's, causing amber and azure to collide into contact; much as their own bodies did. They kneeled there, clutching each other as they continued to pant as the sight of Lee and the three spears embedded in him engraved itself into their memory, and they let their tears of anguish fall for him.

And then, they waited.

* * *

_**Lee;**_

_I guess some people would say my life was a pretty bitter one; and ever since my little sister Karui was murdered, I sort of agreed with those people, since I didn't really have much of a reason not to at the time. _

_But life goes on, and time waits for no one; eventually, you learn to pick yourself back up, no matter how much it hurt being knocked down in the first place, no matter how much you have lost, and can never get back._

_"If you wait around for things to change, you'll be waiting forever, big bro," she had always said, somehow managing to smile whilst doing. "The world won't stop turning for you; for anybody." _

_The day that Karui died, the sun was shining. _

_I came home, beaming since we had just gained two new pupils at the earthbending classes we had set up; I shook the rain from my hair, wishing I was a waterbender momentarily, stepping into our quaint little house that we had managed to buy mere months ago. _

_"Karui, you'll never guess what," I called, peering my head into the living room, in search of her. "We got two new pupils today; we're getting enough income now open more classes. Two more pupils after this, and we have enough to pay for other staff!" _

_Only silence answers me, and I frown a little. "Karui?" I called, stepping into the kitchen. _

_When I heard the saying of your blood running cold, I thought it was just a metaphor; just a figure of speech, just a common saying. But let me tell you, that it is not a saying at all. It is real, and I will never take that for granted ever again._

_My blood turned to liquid ice at the sight of her, and she looked so out of place in our kitchen; a knife was sticking out of her stomach, and her corpse lay in a pool of her own blood, and it is a dark dark crimson. Her eyes were still open, apple green and empty and lifeless and not the little sister I know, and I just cannot understand. _

_"K-Karui?" I murmur, but I am barely audible.  
_

_It's so strange, how life for you can be so easy and faultless, when life for another at the very same moment is fatal. For example, when I was finishing up teaching the earthbending class today, my sister was getting mugged by two thugs that got bored. _

_By the time I had locked up the studio, she was earthbending the two thieves in oblivion. Whilst I was talking to some merchant dealer about fruits that I could buy to celebrate our new students, my sister was being stabbed in the stomach. _

_By the time I was walking home, she died in the middle of our kitchen. _

_Fast forward the crying and the aching and the indescribable pain that I will never be able to put into words, and I meet Sheena. The love of my life; the woman who single handedly slapped me over the head and told me to get up and live, because that's what Karui would have wanted, simultaneously stealing my heart from me before I even had a chance._

_Fast forward a little more, and I have an interview to be the vice general for the Four Nations army, devised to protect to the people who were being terrorized by rebels fighting to start a new war, and those who were caught in the cross fire._

_Not to mention, that this army was commanded by the famous Katara of the Southern Water Tribe; the Avatar's waterbending master, the world's greatest healer and waterbender, one of the most influential, revolutionary and powerful people to ever exist in history. _

_Walking in to my interview, I had to do a double take her; I mean sure, Katara's crazy beautiful, the whole world (especially Fire Lord Zuko) knows that. But if her mocha skin was swapped for olive, and her blue eyes swapped for green, she was the exact replica of Karui. _

_I couldn't even greet her properly, just stood and stared at her as she sat behind her desk and raised a brow at me. At the time, I was 22, having only just gotten back from my honey moon with Sheena; Katara herself was just 16, but we were both aged beyond these figures. _

_"You must be General Lee Usanha," she greeted eventually, since someone had to. She stood and offered her hand. "It's nice to meet you." _

_I stutter, but pick myself up quickly. "E-Err, yes," I reply, giving her a firm handshake. "It's an honor to meet you, Master Katara." _

_At this, Katara blinked at me, confused and a little bewildered. She paused before continuing, and I felt like Karui never really died; all those days of trying to forget her face and move on seemed such a waste, since it felt like she was sitting in front of me, right then. _

_"None of my interviewees have addressed me as Master all day," she admits, her gaze far too intimidating for age, and this only convinces me that she is my little sister's clone. "They all treat me like a child. But then again, they were all...senior members of the military." _

_ "You mean grouchy old farts." I correct, immediately regretting it, since me and my sister always spoke crudely with each other. But despite my language, Katara grinned at me, and I guess her mind was already made up from then onwards, since I was told the following day I got the job._

_When I reported for my first day at the job, I confronted her about it straight away, since I didn't see much point in lingering on the subject mentally. She just smiled at me, just like Karui used to do, and for a second, it feels as though she never left. _

_"I know about your past; with your war veteran mother and talented earthbending sister," Katara explained slowly, pausing before continuing. "And I liked how don't give up; how you don't wait for life to change for you. Besides, you were way better than all the other generals I had interviewed before you." _

_I smile back at her, a smile I only reserved for my sister._

_I guess what I'm saying, is that life will throw all kinds of shit at you; it will hurt so much for so long, it makes you wonder if it's even worth it sometimes. But that doesn't mean that it's a viable excuse to give up and allow life to defeat you._

_I hope to teach my daughter this; hell, I'm already whispering it to Sheena's swollen stomach every morning and night. _

* * *

I actually am sorta upset for killing Lee off; I always intended for him to die, but I grew rather attached to him...:(

Anyways, please review and tell me if you actually gave a shit that he died :P I know that since he's an OC, it's harder to have that same attachment to him like you'd have for the ATLA characters...

Have a wonderful day/night, everyone! :)

- Yin


	17. Chapter 16

And now, for Level 3! Oh, and sorry about how the Level chapters are so short; there's only so much fighting I can write, people! However, I hope you do enjoy reading it, as I do writing it :)

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 16 **

**Level 3:**

_You'll find him on 3; or at least, what's left of him._

They didn't know what to do with themselves as they sat shoulder to shoulder, hands clasped together in that tiny stoned elevator. Katara and Zuko sat in the middle, Aang and Toph either side of them as they pressed their foreheads to their shoulders whilst they sat in silence, listening to nothing in particular.

Katara stroked the inside of Aang's wrist gently with her thumb, since he was shaking a little, and he sniffed quietly. Zuko allowed Toph to lean against his broad shoulder once she had fallen far too quiet, once there was nothing left to say.

"We have 3 minutes," Aang stated quietly, and his words bounced off of the walls as they echoed.

After a small pause, they haul each other up, mustering up as much strength as they could, which by now, was not that much at all. They stood, awkwardly and reluctantly as they stared at the stone wall that would rise up as soon as they had reached the next level.

They tried not to look at each other; instead, they tried to think about the days of camp fires and the smell of Appa, or staying up late and telling stories about adventures and life and love and things that all just magically worked out in the end.

Zuko and Katara tried, they really did; but inhibitions were long gone, as Zuko's fingers found hers, brushing against each other before clasping together messily as they held on to the sensation it provided for them, that temporary giddiness and blissful immersion in the moment.

Her hands were cold, Zuko registered, as he clutched onto her fingers with his own. They were like dry ice, like the blast of cold air after years of the burning sun; it was a little too harsh, but he basked in it all the same.

He could only see the side of her; her insanely curly hair messy and somehow still attractive, her mocha skin glistening from perspiration, blue eyes alive and screaming and filled with such strength and fear at the same time. Zuko wondered what he was waiting for, and whether it was even worth it.

Katara glanced back at him, only for a second; any longer, and she was sure she would start to despair like an idiot, his face being but a reminder of what could never be. But only once her brain started to register his messy ebony hair and inexplicably warm eyes did she start to wonder why it even had to be like that; she blamed such thoughts on the fact they that the chances implied they would die here.

She almost laughed; it was funny how once you're on the verge of loosing everything, the biggest problems of your life are equivalent to the number of granules of sand on beaches. But before either of them could consider and brush away the thought of throwing caution to the wind and just giving in to their pleading hearts, ironically, Aang's voice sliced through them.

"1 minute," he said plainly, since there was no other way to say it.

But it didn't matter, Zuko and Katara both thought simultaneously, as they were forced to let go of each other and ignite their own individual elements in their palms. They probably wouldn't live to worry about these feelings anyway, so there wasn't much point in lingering on the subject.

But this didn't mean it hurt any less, as the felt the elevator grind to halt, the stone door rising up swiftly before they bombarded out; slicing, igniting, cursing and barely surviving. The rebels grew stronger with each level, and this was all too apparent to their fatiguing bodies that fought like wildfire in an attempt to keep up, to keep alive, to keep going.

None of them had time to show mercy anymore; Katara engulfed a huge mass of rebels in water, Zuko sparking it with lightening quickly, making them all convulse a little before Katara dropped their unconscious burning bodies to the ground without having time to second guess their decision.

But there's a manic laughter heard, the sound of quivering sobs and pants accompanying it and it slices through them all, especially her. The rebels clear a little at this, and they cease fire altogether, allowing Katara time to register what was now shown right in front of them.

Toph feels it with her feet, and she's shaking far too violently, whimpers escaping her as all the breathe within her is stolen. Aang staggers backwards at the sight, almost falling over as his eyes refuse to blink, his brain stunned and despairing.

"No..." he whispers, shaking his head slowly, his voice cracking as tears brim his eyes. "No, no, no, Sokka..."

Zuko's face twists, and he cannot look away. His insides turn into mush, making his broad form falter as he swears, again and again and again as he races to Katara, catching her from falling completely to her knees.

There is this feeling; this feeling in the pit of your stomach when you see your entire world shatter into a million pieces. You can't day or do anything, because you're mind cannot make sense of any of it, and for a brief second, you are too shocked to feel.

This silences you, and for a second, you can almost kid yourself that this isn't happening.

This is the feeling that Katara has, as the life completely drains from her. She feels nothing, says nothing, and only registers that she is falling once she feels Zuko's arm enclosed tightly around her waist, his scent familiar and not enough as she breathes it in keeping her from plummeting to her knees.

She can hear him swearing, but she can't draw her eyes away from her brother, her world, her home, her life. She cannot cry, she cannot feel, she cannot think or even stand up properly at the sight of him. She shakes her head, blue eyes unable to blink, her body quivering so hard it makes Zuko shake also.

A rebel man, one she cannot decipher, is grinning as he holds Sokka's body up by the collar; he is clearly insane, his eyes twitching alarmingly, his laugh echoing throughout the huge room, and even some of the other rebels quiver a little at the sight.

Without her even realizing, her medical mind starts to react and spew; she isn't quite paying attention to herself, isn't quite there as she shakes her head, slowly and ruefully and despairingly, not listening to the jargon playing out in her mind.

She observes Sokka is clearly is in chronic shock, possibly hemorrhagic shock, too; he is barely awake, covered in thick, cold sweat. She can see the dried tears on his face, his lips mumbling her name as he is held up my the psychotic rebel, his head dropping as he finally leaves consciousness.

Katara also sees what is left of his left arm; which now ends at the elbow. The rest has been messily amputated, and it is gaping and screaming and makes her senses come alive; the blood is so dark, it is almost black, and it everywhere. On the floor, on his clothes, his skin, his hair, and she knows that this will be one of the things that will mold itself into her nightmares soon enough.

She can see the tissue of his open flesh, just about make out the bone that resides within it; it is open and mind numbing and bleeding out profusely onto the stoned ground. This awakens her after her momentary withdrawal, and she is finally screaming.

The vomit thick in her throat and she doesn't have time to curse herself as anger explodes within her. She is inadvertently digging her nails into Zuko's muscular forearm, drawing some blood that he couldn't care less about.

Zuko is swearing in her ear as he holds her up, and he doesn't know what to do. He feels Katara stiffen, causing him to loosen the the sharp grip her had around her waist. She pushes herself from him gently as she stands, and she is petrifying to look at.

Up until then, no one had ever really seen Katara that angry or sad. Up until then, Katara was envisioned as someone who was far to compassionate and sympathetic in order to do something unthinkable or unquestionable or monstrous.

But that was before her brother was mutilated; before she had such power.

Her face had set, and her azure eyes drained of all ounces of mercy. She stepped forward, and she longer shakes, the anger within her taking over, corrupting her. This alerts everyone, though the man still holding onto Sokka's collar just grins.

"Ooh, looks like little _Lady Katara _doesn't the almighty_ Fire Lord_ to help her stand anymore," he leers, in a sing song stuttering voice. He drops Sokka's unconscious body to the floor, laughing again.

Katara is not crying; she is not...anything. She hardly even blinks at the man, her eyes focused and fixated on his body, not quite at his face, as he continues to laugh eerily at her, at all of them, at her brother's new handicap that he was the cause of.

"He screamed a lot, you know," the rebel man explained, giggling profusely. "He kept calling your name whilst I was cutting at it; _Katara! Katara! _It was rather amusing, especially when he started crying-"

But before he can say anymore, his smile falls. He is stiff, and his body starts to convulse violently as it slowly raises into the air. He cannot utter words, and everyone in the hall just watch in complete and utter silence.

Once he reaches close to ceiling level, Katara lets him dangle there a second. She does not raise her arms, her legs, not even a jut of her chin. They all watch; some in horror, some in admiration, some in understanding.

Her eyes narrow momentarily, only for a second; but that is enough. A sickening crack is heard as the man's head is twisted quickly, and once his body plummets and crashes into the ground, his eyes are open, and he is still.

"Katara..." Aang breathes, his eyes alive with terror. "What did you..."

But before Aang could even think of the words, the rebel army spring into action; they all swarm to them, daggers and knives and swords at the ready. But Katara stands firm, and they are all stopped mid run, their bodies being thrown away like limp sacks as she stops forces them to loose consciousness.

There are no words to describe the view; of all of those bodies being controlled at once, mimicking each other like puppets on a string before they all disperse from each other in various directions, and they cannot even groan.

None of them quite know what to make of the sound of the 50 odd bodies that slam into the wall mercilessly. They don't quite know what to make of Katara as she doesn't hesitate; pushing water to her heels and racing to Sokka at a lightening pace, encasing what was left of his arm immediately upon arrival, her brows knitting together as she concentrated.

They all hesitantly join her, though Toph tugs at Zuko's sleeve, forcing him to turn to her.

"Did she...?" Toph whispers; like she is afraid, like she shouldn't speak of such things.

Zuko swallows, biting his lip as he takes her hand in his and squeezes it, this being the only answer he can offer. They join Katara quickly, but their slight overwhelming fear for her is apparent as they kneel a little away from her, Zuko being the closest at her side.

There is silence for a few minutes, and the only thing that echoes through the room is the sound of Katara's water she heals, the pale glow lighting up what they know register, as an inexplicably dull room.

"We don't have much time," Katara says, slicing through the silence. "More rebels are probably being sent here this very minute."

They grind their teeth together, lick their lips as they follow. Their eyes fall to Sokka, and he looks like he is sleeping; they try not to look at his severed arm, or wonder how he will live his life with just one arm now, or how he will throw his boomerangs and swing his swords.

Katara hisses; the bleeding is profuse and substantial, and there's no way she'll be able to heal it all in time. She has to stop healing for a second, grabbing the end of her tunic and ripping off a thin strip of it, the sound stinging the ears of the rest of them.

She uses this as a make shift tourniquet; tying it tightly around Sokka's severed arm. She then resumes healing, but she can feel the vessels of the next herd of rebels approaching, and time is quickly running out as Katara's eyes do not have to time to look at Toph whilst speaking to her.

"Do you feel them, Toph?" she asks, flicking her wrists as she heals. "I've got 75 vessels."

Toph pauses, calculating also. "Me too," she confirms. "You're getting good at sensing them, Katara. I don't think you need to confirm with me anymore."

Katara wants to smile, but she cannot. "You're the expert, not me." she says plainly.

An idea strikes her, probably from the adrenaline that increases in quantity as senses the approaching of the next fleet of rebels; Katara manouvers the water around her brother's arm securely, mingling it with his blood also.

She then pushes her wrists forwards quickly and freezes it to what is left of Sokka's arm. She signals for Zuko to help her carry him to elevator, but time already ran out as the walls open up in sections, more and more rebels fleeting out and after them as they are all forced to break into a sprint.

Katara is forced to leave Zuko to hoist Sokka's unconscious body to his back, flicking out her wrist momentarily at the swarm of rebels that approached them, sending their bodies flying backwards to hit the floor which a sharp thud.

They approached the elevator quickly, thanks to Katara flicking away the rebels' bodies like flies; but when has life ever gone so smoothly? When has anything in the world ever played completely in the favor of good people?

Katara turns again, throwing bodies away far too easily; but she hears Toph cry out as fire is thrown at Aang full speed and merciless as they run for their lives, and she is determined yet fed up, because she refuses to let another of her children suffer.

She blocks it easily with a stream of water drawn from the air, spinning it into a deadly ice disk and flinging it at the firebending rebel who finds it hard to dodge the attack, since she consistently follows him with it until she slams into him.

And as she felt the Arkhurn drenched dagger fly towards her, she knows she has been stupid. She knows that she is fatiguing and weak, and that she should've known that was all a diversion, as the dagger lodges itself into Katara's shoulder.

She is too surprised to register this, blinking rapidly as she staggers and looks down at the handle sticking out of her body.

Zuko's stomach lurches as he sees it, golden eyes alive screaming and alive and despairing. His body grinds to a halt, Toph luckily blocking the attacks that are thrown his way as he feels Sokka slip on his back, as denial engulfs him.

"KATARA!" he bellows, watching her stagger a little, staring at the dagger lodged in her shoulder.

But she doesn't have time to register the burning pain; she can only draw water from the air and shield herself from any more attacks, her body faltering from the shock of the wound and the Arkhurn that is now running through her bloodstream.

Aang bites his tongue at his next words, but he cannot help it. "I'll take Sokka," he states, hauling him off of Zuko's shoulders and onto his own. He falters a little, but regains balance like all Air Nomads do expertly. "Get her to the elevator."

Zuko doesn't have time to thank him or nod; he is gliding, whipping away at the rebels that try attack him as he approaches Katara. She is panting, her blue eyes alive with pain and burning, and she groans and hisses, sweat covering her mocha skin.

Zuko is swearing as he hauls her into his arms; he is livid yet utterly devastated as he lifts her up and glides his way to the elevator, dodging a few arrows an knives by mere inches as he throws both of their bodies into the small stones room, Toph closing the doors hastily, sending them hurling upwards as he sets Katara down so that she leaning against the wall.

Sokka's body lay at one side with Aang, seating herself next to him, clasping his hand quickly as they listen. They listen to Zuko's voice cracking, to Katara's cries and pants of pain, to the tears they know are springing to Zuko's eyes.

"You have to dislodge it, Zuko," Katara hisses, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. It is burning, in a way she cannot describe. She can barely move, since whenever she does she can feel the dagger twist around her flesh. "Pull it out, Zuko."

"Katara," he says, gritting his teeth as he watches her.

But he has no choice, as he holds her shoulder still, gripping the handle of the dagger that is still sticking out of her with a firm hand. He glances at her, and she is almost writhing in pain as she nods for him to do it.

He pulls and Katara screams, piercing through them instantly. Toph covers her ears with her hands, shutting her eyes tightly as Aang pulls her to him, pressing his face into her ebony hair as they Katara's cries fill the small room.

They hear the clatter of the dagger on the stone as it is thrown to corner of them, and within moments the sound of Katara's water can be heard; healing the wound, stitching together her skin again rapidly.

Zuko will not lie; he found it hard not to cry as he sits beside her, watching her heal herself. They do not look at each other as they sit in silence, and Katara can already feel the presence of the Arkhurn in her body, feeling it fatigue her slowly draw the life from her, even at this early stage.

Once she has healed her wound, all that she can, at least, Zuko pulls her body to his, clutching her closely as he murmurs apologies into her ear, again and again and again, his lips brushing against the hairline of her temple.

Katara swallows, allowing him to proceed, since they all knew their wasn't much reason to stop him now. As she registers Zuko's tears on her cheek, she looks over to her unconscious brother and the remainder of his arm; she looks at Aang clutching Toph the way Zuko was clutching her, and she doesn't feel anything but the pang reality hitting her as she watches her family despair.

She is now forced to wonder what they will do once she is gone.

And then, like always, they wait.

* * *

_**Sokka****;**_

_Let me tell you something. _

_The truth is, shit happens; and that's a statement that doesn't really hold much sentiment until it is actually carried out, until it's actually you that it happens to, until you're the one wondering what the hell happened to your life and who you used to be.  
_

_It's pretty obvious that me and Katara aren't that alike at all; she's all...caring and collected and strong. Unlike me, who will keep quiet until I move on naturally (if that's even possible), Katara always attempts to restore what has been lost, no matter how important or unimportant whatever it is once was. _

_Basically, she never takes things sitting down; believe me when I say she is the most stubborn, hard headed and most annoying person you will ever meet in your entire life. Then again, if it wasn't for those traits, I'm certain that none of us would be alive right now; funny how life works out like that. _

_It took me so long to actually come to terms with the fact that my mother was never coming back to us. Even though I don't even remember what she looks like, I keep expecting her to walk into our tent and scold me and Katara for getting into so much trouble, or bickering so often, or nearly dying so many times. _

_There were some days when I would even sit and wait for her; to hear her voice, to see her smile, listen to the sound of her singing whilst she cooked. I would wait and wait and wait, but nothing happened. Nothing magically made itself right; nothing just sorted itself out like they way they did in books._

_My mother never came back, and she's never going to come back; and you have no idea how long it actually took me to even allow myself to think this. But by the time I had accepted this and started to live again, and attempt to try and find good in the world again, Katara had already gotten up and prospered long ago. _

_I still remember the day I realized when I had failed as older brother. _

_It was this one time when I had been crying and crying about our mother, since it had only been a week or so after her death. I had wound up in Katara's bed, since she smelt a little like our mother, and I found it easier to cry with her next to me rather than alone. _

_The thing most prominent about that night was the fact that Katara didn't say anything; she didn't lie and tell me it would be okay, or that we were still an invincible family, that things would go back to normal. She just hugged me and stroked my hair, like our mother used to do when we were upset, like all mother's did when their children were in despair. _

_What happened next didn't register as something overly significant at the time; not like it does now. Back then, I didn't really understand the intensity in Katara's words; I didn't fully understand what had happened within her at that very moment, not like I do now, years later._

_Not like I understand now; once I have watched my sister sacrifice everything for me._

_"Don't worry, Sokka," she said quietly, and the only thing I wondered was why her voice wasn't shaky. "I'll protect you from now on. I promise."_

_But the problem with Katara is that she doesn't care what happens to herself when her children are concerned; she doesn't care if she will get beaten or hit or punished for such brash actions or even killed. And I worry, being her big brother and all, since I know it will be the death of her. _

_But I guess that's when a certain Jerkbender stepped in; as much as I hate to admit it, Zuko and Katara need each other (not that they will ever admit that). Unlike Aang (who is constantly submissive in order to make her happy), Zuko is the only person I know who has the balls to stand up to her and take care of her when Katara fails to do so herself._

_Zuko is the only one I know who has ever challenged her, and not just allowed her to forget about herself. However, this comes at a price; the price being endless ground wavering arguments and water flying about when Katara looses control, and Zuko burning anything he touches from post argument-caused anger. _

_But, as weird as it sounds, it's sort of...nice. It's comforting, because mothers and fathers fight all the time, and none of us were really exposed to that portion of normality that often, due to things that were never in our control. _

_Because of this, one of the best times of my life was when Zuko had joined our Gaang; they would scream at each other over the campfire, so loud and monstrous and deafening that none of us can hear each other when we make an effort to converse.  
_

_There was this one time, when Toph had gotten some kind of allergic reaction to a plant, causing her to stay up all night itching whilst sick and barely conscious. And Katara, being Katara, stayed up all night soothing her with water, meaning she had gotten 0 hours of sleep. _

_And this would be the norm, if it was before Zuko had joined us._

_"I don't need you hovering over my back like I'm some defenseless rabiroo newborn!" Katara seethed at him. "Believe it or not, I can actually take care of myself!" _

_Zuko somehow actually dared to scoff at her, and the soup in our bowls started to sizzle a little. And I cringe, since Katara has one of the most craziest, uncontrollable, scariest, unearthly tempers that I have ever come across; that is, before meeting Zuko, who had somehow managed to match her. _

_"That's bullshit and you know it!" he screamed back at her. "You're the only one I know who can take care of an entire army, Katara, but will forget to do something as simple as even feed yourself throughout the day like a normal person!" _

_"Are you calling me stupid?" she spat at him, and the soup swayed in our bowls. "So what if I forget a few meals-" _

_"STOP LYING!" Zuko bellowed at her. "I once saw that you didn't eat for three and a half days when you were training and planning the invasion with Sokka! And don't you dare try to lie your way out of that, because you know better than anyone that it's true!" _

_Katara was enraged by this, livid even; I had to move along with the soup in attempt to still keep it in my bowl. But the campfire was going crazy, too; the flame was roaring and flaring and crackling beyond submission, filling the pause that Katara initiated. I was just surprised that she was speechless._

_"Well I'm still alive, aren't I?" she hissed quietly at him, and our soup started to bubble. _

_Zuko narrowed his eyes at her. "Just barely." _

_"And what're you going to do about it?" she bellowed at him suddenly, advancing towards him like she was hunting or something. "Tie me to a tree? Use my mother's necklace as bait? Oh, but wait! You already did all of those things!"_

_Zuko's cheeks flared, making the fire burst out of control, and we all held in our laughter, since it would probably result in our death. _

_"That was in the past," he said passively, his pink cheeks indicating otherwise. "I did what I had to do." _

_"And was being right up in my face speaking all sexily part of your agenda?" Katara yelled, but instantly stiffened as she clamped a hand over her mouth, and me and Aang frown at her words, whilst Toph grins like an idiot. _

_Zuko raised a brow, smirking as my sister reddens. "Sexily?" _

_Katara only blinks, and I know that she's trying to bloodbend the excess blood away from her face. She then pulls on her hair, long and curly like our mother's, growling like she always did when she was pissed off beyond compare. "YOU'RE INFURIATING!" _

_The argument just continues, like it always does, but we're all smiling into our bowls of swaying soup. _

* * *

Oh my. Many casualties in this chapter...:\

Hope you enjoyed this chapter; thanks for everything, stay tuned and leave a review!

- Yin

P.S. sorry for such short chapter lengths; not too much to describe in the levels...


	18. Chapter 17

Hiya :) I MAY be able to get Level 5 done after this quite quickly...but then after that, we have to play the waiting game till September :\ But, I dunno...let's just see what happens!

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 17 **

**Level 4: **

Katara felt the dull ache that crept over her body as she stumbled to Sokka to refreeze the remainder of his arm; she wondered if this was due to the Arkhurn or if it was just fatigue, but as she realized they were steadfastly approaching the next level, she blamed it to be both.

They all try not to look at her as she heals him, but they can't to anything but; as she heals, to what they now understand as one of the most powerful ways to do so that exists in the history of waterbending, the whites of her eyes already pigmenting lilac as the seconds pass, to which Zuko is alarmed by as his brow furrows and his voice hardens.

"Katara," he states firmly. "Stop healing him."

Katara doesn't even turn to look at him. "My brother has lost half of his arm, Zuko. I'm not just going to leave him be."

Zuko's anger explodes; at the flatness of her voice, at the blood still on her tunic from her wound, and the way Aang and Toph are quivering as they hold onto each other as they watch their mother slowly die.

"The more you heal, the faster you die!" he screamed at her, his voice loosing it's strength as it cracks half way through his sentence. A pause follows, and it is not easy to listen to as they all sit there in that tiny stoned box room.

Katara still does not even raise her head, healing all the while. Her blue eyes aren't faltering, and it is strange to see them now paired with a violet surrounding them; her breath is a little ragged, already, but she continues to heal nonetheless.

"Zuko," she speaks softly, and she refuses to look at him. "Sokka can still live after this, if you escape. Once you get to civilization again, you can take him to Yagoda and have him healed, and he will be able to carry on with his life; maybe with a bit of difficulty at first, but with some rehabilitation and encouragment, he'll learn to cope, and he'll be okay."

The pause that follows is deafening, and Katara finds it hard to continue talking. The sound of her healing is the only thing that fills in the pregnant pause that follows, and before she has even opened her mouth, they all know they do not want to hear what she is about to say.

"But, as for me..." Katara trails off, blinking rapidly as her mind falters. She knows that this pause is lasting way too long, and she prompts her mind to try and find the right words. "Zuko, we both know that I'm not going to make it ou-"

"Shut up!" he snapped stiffly at her, golden eyes furious as they fixate on her. "I don't want to hear you talking like that."

Katara is forced to meet his eyes, and they are both captivated by each other. Their gaze does not falter, and Zuko crumbles under hers, shaking his head fiercely, his matted ebony hair swaying over his eyes as he did so.

"Zuko, there's no point in trying to kid yourself," Katara offers gently, but it still sounds a little stiff. "I know it's a little hard to stomach, but once I'm gone you have to take care of Sokka and Aang and Toph and-"

The cold glare he shot at her forced her to stop talking. "You told me goodbyes aren't until the very end," he stated placidly. "Don't go back on your word, Katara."

She had seen this before; it was just one of the many stages of grieving, mourning for someone you had once cared about. She was more than familiar with this, due to the endless amount of patients that had died in front of her. But it hurt so much more this time; not because of the Arkhurn racing through her body, not because of the things she never had a chance to accomplish in her life.

But that look in his golden eyes she had created.

"I'm sorry." Katara murmurs, swallowing as she grinds her teeth together, and she doesn't know what she's sorry for.

She tries not to look at any of them, attempting to resume her healing. But Zuko will not allow it; he takes advantage of her weak state, picking her up and dragging her away from Sokka's unconscious body, settling her next to him as he refuses to let go of her hand. She allows this, since Sokka was no longer in a life threatening condition anymore, and she had nothing to loose now, anyway.

"Shouldn't we wake him?" Toph asks quietly, her voice not as rowdy as it should be.

"He'll just be in pain," Katara replies, guilt swarming her. "Besides, he'd be too weak to battle, anyway. Carrying him from level to level is probably our biggest problem right now."

"So what're we gonna do?" Aang questions, glancing at Sokka's body, lingering at his mutilated arm. "There's no way we can fight with him on our backs."

"We only have 1 minute," Zuko cuts in, pulling Katara's weak body to her feet.

She notices that they are all fatiguing at a terrible rate now; her blue eyes analyzes, feeling their hearts beat quickly, their muscles weaken even further with every move they make, their breathes perminantly ragged from not having given an appropriate time to rest. Katara draws water from the air as they haul themselves up, quenching their thirst with as much water as she can from the small room.

But before they know it, the doors slide open and they are forced to bombard outwards, dodging the daggers and spears thrown at them. Katara lingers on the body of her unconscious brother, dragging him onto her back before Zuko is given a chance to protest, as he slashes and defends Katara from anything else.

She hisses, and coughs violently into her hand, wincing as she registered the blood mixed with the violet liquid. She then draws some water from the atmosphere again, binding her and Sokka's waists and legs together before shakily getting up, balancing the extra weight on her small frame.

"Katara!" Zuko hissed, watching her stumble as she continues to freeze Sokka's body to her own. "Are you crazy? You're weak enough as it is!"

"I won't be of much use anyway; the more I bend, the faster I deteriorate," Katara pants, hoisting Sokka's arms over her shoulders. "The least I can do is carry Sokka's body for as long as I'm here."

Zuko growls, taking out his anger on a mass of rebels that swarm at them with a blazing disc of fire. When he pulls her to him to start running, he notes that her body is clammy from the cold sweat that makes her mocha skin glisten in the dull lighting. But the target her specifically, and it doesn't take long for any of them to know that they know she is infected with Arkhurn.

Katara is forced to bend because of this; whipping away rebels like flies with bloodbending, but as she does this, she can feel the poison surge with every move she makes. Despite this, she continues to bend; bodies flying around the room like rain in the monsoon seasons, despite Zuko's growls frustration as he yells at her loudly for doing so.

But just as Katara raises her arms to flick away more bodies, her stomach lurches, leaving her open and vulnerable to the enemy; but Toph defends her just in time, crumbling the earth under the huge mass of rebels' feet. Aang joins her, whipping the remainder of the rebels in swarm of air, despite his muscles crying out for him to stop already.

Zuko's face creases in anxiety, as he holds Katara's body from falling with one hand, and holding the hair back from her face with the other, as she vomits violently onto the stoned ground. He can see the blood and purple poison that is mingles within it, and his blur a little with unwelcome tears as he registers that her time is running out quickly; far too quickly.

She is weak once she has finished, her head spinning, as Zuko holds her waist up; him being the only thing preventing her from falling into her own vomit on the ground. The ice that binds her and Sokka's bodies together is far too cold under his hands, since the ice type is dry and brittle; the most painful to touch, yet the most durable to work with.

It takes her a minute for her vision to steady again, for her burning throat and pathetically weak body to come back to her. She inwardly admits that Sokka is ridiculously heavy, but she knows that she shouldn't expect anything less from a 19 year old man. But this doesn't stop Katara from refreezing his arm that is starting to thaw out, as well as refreezing the ice belt around them, wincing as it pains her skin from the cold.

But before she has time to fully revive herself, Zuko already has to pull her body away from the mass of weapons being thrown at them. They are growing far too desperate, Aang realizes, as he watches his friends fight to just stand up properly. His eyes fall to Katara; she can't even stand straight for too long, and she panting profusely, the weight of Sokka on her back not helping in the slightest.

Toph's voice is familiar in his ear, sparking a little strength in him. "Stop daydreaming, twinkle toes," she hisses, but she's smiling all the same.

Aang pauses before her answers, taking in a deep breathe. "I have to go into the Avatar State."

Toph stops altogether at this, blinking at his words. "What?"

"There's no way we can get of here and get Katara to some water without it," he utters, having to throw a slice of air before he continues. "I haven't gone into it since the final battle, so I'm not to sure what to expect."

"Haven't you tried since then?" Toph asks, throwing a huge boulder as she does so.

"A lot," Aang admits. "But I can't really activate it at will that well. I think I'll have to-"

But Katara is already there, whipping away spears that are being at him that Aang wasn't even aware of. He stiffens at the sight of her, since the whites of her eyes, and even her teeth are pigmented purple now, and there is blood running from her mouth as she glares at him, her pants uncontrollable as her body fights to stay alive, even if only just for now.

"Induce yourself, Aang, and you'll die," she hisses, flicking away a few bodies before continuing. "You're body is too weak to handle such a powerful state; I've already checked your vitals through bloodbending two levels ago, and if it wasn't an option then, then it certainly isn't one now."

His voice tries to harden, but for her, it cannot. "Katara, you'll die if we don't get out here soon," he growls, but his voice is still weak. "I don't care if I have to die in order for you to-"

"You're the Avatar, Aang; the world needs you," she hisses at him, pulling his frail body into a firm hug. He can smell her hair, feel Sokka's bloodied clothes on her back, hear her voice in his ear and his eyes are blurred with tears. "But I'm sure the world will survive with one less waterbender."

"But, Katara-" he tries, but is silenced as he hears his voice cracking.

"No buts," she says gently, and he can hear her smiling. "I will not allow you to die here."

And as they continue to fight, Katara's smile is growing more and more resilient; she is bleeding profusely, from her nose, her mouth, and vomits a few too many times. They all try to be blind to this, try to ignore and focus on the rebels that swarm at them relentlessly, but they cannot.

Eventually, they all find themselves diving into the next elevator, Aang stamping his foot and swing his arms, closing the doors just before a sword can glide in, sending them all bombarding upwards. They all watch her, and they don't know what to do or say, as Katara unbinds Sokka from her lays him on the ground before refreezing his arm yet again.

She breaks the silence. "I don't want you to remember me all frowny," she said, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. She can feel her heart weaken, her body succumb to the Arkhurn that is taking her down from within, and she knows that she has to say it now.

She crawls to Aang, and he has already started crying before she has even said anything. She is hugging him, stroking the base of his neck as he splutters into her shoulder like a child, gripping her clothes so fiercely she felt sadness for his sake.

"You're an amazing Avatar, and one of my best friends," she says slowly, quietly, and he is weeping now, but she has to continue. "The world was blessed to have you as a savior, and I was blessed to have ever unfrozen you from that iceberg. If it wasn't for you, Aang, I'd still be some average girl in the Southern Water Tribe; I owe you so much, and I'm so so so sorry I never felt the same way you did."

She knows that Zuko's face is twisting, but she refused to look at him.

She turns to Toph, ready to make her way to her, but Toph is already there; so uncharacteristic as she clutches onto Katara's body. She breathed in her scent, and it calmed her instantly, and ironically, that's what sparked the tears to leak from her eyes.

"You're the strongest girl I have ever met in my life, and if wasn't for you, I wouldn't have _lived_," Katara whispers into Toph's ear. "You taught me to laugh when I had every reason not to, showed me that there's more to life than just regretting all of the memories. You're one of my best friends, and I don't know what kind of person I would be without you; I doubt whether I ever would have made it this far."

Katara doesn't want to let go of her, but she has to; she moves to Sokka, waving a hand over his face, sending blood to flood to his brain to awaken him only partially so that he can be at least half conscious as he listens to her. His eyes are only half open, and he is too weak to speak as Katara pulls him onto her lap, smiling down at him.

"I know I said I'd protect you, and I'm sorry I've done such a terrible job of it," she said, glancing at the remainder of his arm. She swallows the lump in her throat, continuing. "But you'll be okay; you are my brother, and you are strong, and I know you'll make it through this with flying colours. Mum would be so proud of you. You are one of my best friends, Sokka, and I'm so lucky to have been given a brother like you."

He is clearly confused, noting the blood trailing from her mouth as he looks up her, noting the whites of her eyes that are now completely violet; the smell of blood is overwhelming him as he looks up at her, but he still doesn't understand.

"Katara..." he utters, but she waves a hand over his face again, forcing him to drift back into consciousness.

She sets him down again onto the floor, and takes a deep breath. She closes her eyes, and deems this as one of the hardest things she has ever had to do; her head lifts, and her eyes meet Zuko's, but he is shaking his head as she approaches, as she kneels in front of him, taking his hands in her own.

"No, Katara," he says firmly, blinking rapidly to force back tears. "I don't want to hear it. Save your goodbye, there's no way I'm-"

Her lip finally wobbles, but she ploughes on. His hands are so warm in hers, she wished she could hold them forever. He breaks her inside, seeing his chiseled jaw covered in stubble, his warm eyes engulfing her, and her voice cracks as she says his name.

"Zuko," she whispers, and for once, she doesn't know what to say. She can't look at him, as she brings the back of his hands to her lips, and he can feel her tears on them, which only makes his anxiety grow within him as he watches her, as they all watch her.

The pause is far too long, her lips pressed against his hands, her face covered so that they are unable to see her tears. He hates this, he _hates _this as he watches her, and he doesn't want to hear whatever she has to say, no matter what it is, because he knows it will never compare to how he feels about her.

"Katara-" he starts, but her words silence him, all of them.

She still doesn't look at him.

"It was always you."

* * *

_**Aang;** _

_To be honest, I never really believed in love. I know that sounds weird, being an Air Nomad and stuff; it's drilled into our brain's at birth that love makes the world go round, and I guess for a while, I believed in those lies that the monks would feed me. _

_But things changed, a 100 years, to be exact; I had awoken into a world where love was long gone, a world that was angry and sadistic having been abandoned and stripped of hope a century ago, and it made me wonder whether love ever even existed in the first place. _

_I mean, sure, I had my doubts a century ago; but seeing all of that blood, seeing so much hatred, the withdrawal from Sokka and the coldness from Katara at the mention of their mother, the scar that Zuko tries to hide so often, the quietness of Toph when she is asked about her parents, and it doesn't take some genius, powerful, almighty Avatar to tell you that love is just a very sought after illusion.  
_

_Nobody really knows how it feels when you have fallen asleep for what has felt like a few days, and wake up to find everyone you care about more than anything either dead or about to die. Your brain doesn't really process it at first; it's like some words that are just floating around you with no meaning until you start to register what they actually mean, what it actually entails. _

_The only way I can describe the rest is like white anger. I was furious, enraged, bitter, whatever you think is the most appropriate adjective. What angered me most was the fact that I was just too late; that if I were there, something might've changed, something might've happened in my favor if given the time, the chance, the blissful luck. _

_The only person who pulled me away from all of this is the person who had my heart since day 1; Katara's hugs are like like some strange form of gravity, I swear. They pull at every emotion in you until all that's left inside your body is acceptance, and I have yet to meet someone in the world who has the same effect on people as she does, but as the time has passes, my hope for this is weakening._

_I won't lie to you; not because I'm the Avatar and am advised not to, but just because I'm not that type of person. _

_I love Katara. I always have, and I know a part of me always will, no matter how many days, months, years I have spent trying to convince myself otherwise. _

_Even though she was unsure herself, she showed me that love still existed; in little ways, non tangible ways, ways that didn't really matter that much to many people, but are one of the many reasons of why I love her. _

_Like how she'll save a piece of her meat for Sokka, since she knows he loves it; how she'll sit with Toph and help her write letters to her parents, how she'll always be there for me, whispering lullabies in my ear when I wake up screaming at nightmares that she is an expert at containing herself, whilst we were travelling together._

_Katara is everything; she picks us up, she helps us rise above everything, she is that pillar of hope and guidance and unconditional never ending love that we can always rely on. She is our biggest strength, yet our biggest weakness at the same time. _

_And don't think I'm an idiot; I know. I know that she will never look at me like I do her. I know that her heart won't ever be mine to keep as mine is hers. I know that when she looks at me, she doesn't see what I want her too. I know that me and her were nothing but a combination of forced feelings and immense guilt on her part. I know that even if I had her, even if we made it, it wouldn't be pure and true, like how I always dreamed it would be._

_She isn't mine; she never was, and will never be, no matter how many days, months, years I have spent trying to convince myself otherwise._

_Don't think that I am blind; I remember the day when I realized just how selfish and ridiculous my dreams were. It was in the middle of the night, when the moon was only a half, and I had noticed that Katara and Zuko weren't in their sleeping bags, so I decided to go and find them. _

_And I did; they sat above the Western Air Temple, looking over the space of land like nothing was there. I hid in the shadows underneath them and eavesdropped on their conversation, and that's when I realized that for me and Katara, for us, for the love that I have harbored so long for her..._

_Well, it was just a matter of time before it was taken. _

_"Aren't you afraid?" Zuko asks her, and his voice is soft for her. _

_I can hear her voice so clearly, since it's embedded into my brain. "Not really." _

_"I didn't mean about the fight," he says slowly. "I mean about after all of this." _

___She pauses, and I know she is licking her lips, like she always does when she concentrates. The wind is a little sharp, but Katara isn't shivering; maybe she just isn't that cold, having gotten used to it after so long, or maybe Zuko is sharing his fire breathe with her, but I decide neither answer would make me feel better._

___Her voice is still so firm, so strong, so brisk, just like the Katara I know. "Petrified." _

___"You don't have to do it, you know," Zuko offers, his voice deep yet so tentative. "It's not your fault."_

___I know she's shaking her head, closing those beautiful blue eyes; I just know it. "He's the Avatar, Zuko," Katara says gently, and my insides are crumbling. "I owe him this. I was his from the very beggining, wasn't I?" _

___"No, you weren't," Zuko replies, and his voice is a little firmer, a little more desperate. "You were never his." _

___She pauses again, and now I know that the space between their shoulders is non existent; my heart clenches. "It doesn't matter. I have to be." _

___I leave before I can hear anymore, before my stomach decides to empty itself right then and there. It doesn't take me long to piece together the fact that Zuko and Katara had been meeting up frequently over the nights we spent at the temple, to which I would just turn a blind eye to. _

___Even in the months that I had Katara, Zuko was right; she wasn't mine. Before she even knew it herself, I realized her heart was in a different place. A place where I wasn't, a place I would never be, a place that was always reserved for a certain firebender that stole her heart long, long before Katara even realized she had one left; though, she is still oblivious to this very occurrence._

___I'm not blind to any of it; I know that I am one of the biggest reasons as to why neither of them will achieve true happiness. And I've spent so long moping over that fact, so many years trying to hide from it. But lately, I find that the more I look at Toph, the more that time passes, the more I see Zuko and Katara refuse to look at each other sometimes, I've realized that for their sake, I can't afford to mope anymore._

___I didn't beg her to stay, since it wasn't my place. I loved her too much to force her to live a half hearted life with me; besides, the more I ventured away from her (from her piercing blue eyes, smooth mocha skin, long, curly hair) I found a beauty of an entirely different sort (one that consisted of eyes misted over and a crooked grin, and the smell of dirt and sugar)._

___But why should I lie? My heart still fumbles in a heap at the sight of her, the smell of her, at the sound of her soft voice when she says my name. My lips still say her name randomly in the middle of thought. My chest still hurts a little, even now, as I occasionally think of the life we could've had, the children that could've surrounded us, the way that our life together should've gone. _

___But she was never mine. _

_She's his._

* * *

Just wanted to give you all some reassurance; THIS STORY DOES GET BETTER! :P I promise! Haha, don't give up yet!

Thank you all for everthing! WE'VE REACHED 100 REVIEWS! HELL YEAH BABY! ;) I know some people don't think it's that much, but I think it's amazing that this story has gotten as far as it has without me _completely _fucking it up :)

Thank you, sweeties, don't forget to review :)

- Yin

Oh, and I know this chapter is waaaay too short...sorry :/


	19. Chapter 18

Whoo! Last level! Excited? I sure am :) Gonna be a little MIA for the next 6 weeks...:\ I'll try and update as much as I can, but updates will be regular again when September comes around! Please wait for me, my loves! :D

Love you, please review!

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 18 **

**Level 5: **

It's always the mothers.

That's what Zuko was thinking, as he held back Katara's hair as she vomited mostly blood onto the stoned floor. The Arkhurn was killing her at a rapid pace, and she should've been dead by now, but he knew she was using bloodbending in order to suppress the poison for a little longer; probably just for the rest of them to escape, before she would let herself die here like Lee.

He wondered a little, his forearm wrapped tightly around her waist, holding up her ridiculously weak body from falling into her own vomit; he wondered why it was always the mothers to die, to be lost, to suffer. He wondered why it was always the strongest that were first to fall, the first to sacrifice. He wondered why it was always the people who meant the most, were the people who were always wrongly taken.

Katara wretches harder, blood splattering onto the floor and she winces from her burning throat and her dizzy head. Zuko has to straighten her himself, since she is too limp to do even that. Her body sags against his inadvertently, and he presses his hand to her forehead, frowning at how cold it is. He winds his arms around her, using his fire breath to heat up her body.

Katara sighs at the sudden warmth, since it makes her throbbing body much easier to deal with. She can taste the Arkhurn on her teeth, her nose wrinkling at the bitter, metallic taste of blood that is mixed with it. Vomiting as much blood as she was was a sign that she was to die soon, according to the people she had analyzed at the village that had been attacked.

It was so strange to think that last week, they had just arrived at Ba Sing Se, spending their days in the city

Zuko only noticed now that the clothing on Katara's shoulder was still soaked in blood; as well as other areas that were spattered with it. Some blood belonging to rebels, some her own, some to Lee.

"1 minute," she whispers, smiling at him. Her azure eyes cut through him, looking so strange against the now violet eyeballs. They are beautiful all the same, as they look up at him apologetically.

This is ridiculous, since he is the one who should be apologetic, Zuko thinks, as they let go of each other and prepare their elements. This is ridiculous, he thinks, and Katara freezes Sokka to her once more, wincing as the dry ice binds to her skin. This is ridiculous, his mind is screaming, as she kisses Aang and Toph's forheads, pulling them to her one final time.

But he still doesn't know what to say, because he is not ready to let her go. He is not ready for any of this; for taking care of Sokka, Aang and Toph alone from now onwards, for running the Fire Nation without asking for her advice, for not seeing her face everyday, for not hearing her voice, for not relishing in holding her at night when nightmares plagued her, for returning home without her, for not hearing her say his name.

Zuko stiffens, as he realizes these are just the worries of a father without a mother.

He wonders if Katara and Sokka's father went through the same thing.

Katara wants to hug him, she really does; but the last thing she wants to do is make Aang and Toph even more upset than they already are. So, all she can do is hold his hands; they are warm and so strong, much larger than her own as she attempts to smile for him, but her lips are cracked and it doesn't play out the way she would have liked it to.

He is so handsome, and she doesn't care about trying to hide that anymore; he is so so handsome, with his intoxicating golden eyes and broad stature, with his chiseled jaw covered in stubble, with his musky scent that she had grown so attached too.

He hates this, since even when she is on the brink of death, she is mesmerizingly beautiful; her long, curly hair frames her face perfectly, her eyes still slicing through him easily. Her lips are perfect, despite the blood dried on them. Her skin is faultless, even with the cuts, bruises and scars. Her body curves remarkably, and Zuko thinks she is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen, even though-

He is mad at her. He is mad, because it shouldn't have been her. He was mad, because only now does he realize how much time he wasted. He was mad, because Aang and Toph were finding it hard not to cry, and their faces made his stomach twist in agony. He was mad, because he had no idea what to do without her; loosing her shouldn't be an option, and he is mad, because now it is the only one.

"If you get out, run and find plants; where there are plants, there is water," Katara wheezes, wiping the blood that trails from her mouth. She turns to Aang. "Once you make it back to Ba Sing Se, and have dealt with all of this and the press, you have to go to the swamp again, Aang."

Aang's face creases, but she continues.

"Someone needs to teach you how to bend water from the air, and draw it from plants," Katara said hoarsely. "As far as I know, aside from Hama, the only person that has come close to learning that are the men in the swamp, who bend the water in the plants. You'll have to figure the rest out for yourself; you need to learn the skill, Aang. I'm sorry I've never taught it to you; I just always thought that I would be there to do it myself...but now...I'm not gonna be here to take care of you."

She pauses, pressing her lips together.

"But only draw water from the air and plants when you absolutely need it," Katara says firmly, despite her feverish pants. "If you keep on drawing it from secondary sources for long enough, you'll end up a perminant bloodbender, like me. And trust me, you don't want that; especially being the Avatar. Being a perminant bloodbender and going into the Avatar State would be fatal for anyone around you."

Time is running out, Katara registers, and she turns to Zuko and Toph. Her chest is getting tighter, and her nose and mouth are exherting more and more blood; she is running out of time, and she knows this, so her voice is hurried and brisk.

"Take Sokka straight to Yagoda," Katara states. "After that, he'll need rehabilitation in order to learn to live with half an arm. I have enough money saved, anyway, so use that to get him the best physician you know. It will take a long, long time; and Suki will need training too, in order to learn how to care for him from now on. Encourage him; he'll get frustrated eventually."

She pauses again, hissing.

"And if in a few years time, Suki bears a daughter...tell Sokka to give her our mother's necklace," she said, her voice wavering a little. She removes her arm bracelet that Zuko gave her, pushing it into Sokka's pocket behind her. "Give her my bracelet, too. I want it to become a family heirloom along with the necklace. Make sure she never sells it."

"Katara..." Toph murmurs, her face creasing.

Katara smiles, pulling her to a hug as she whispers into her ear. "You'll be okay, Toph. Marry someone who makes you happy, no matter what anyone thinks. Don't ignore your feelings. You'll regret it so much in the long run." she gestures to Aang, and her smile softens as they both blush.

This isn't right. Zuko can feel it in the pit of his stomach, in the middle of his chest. This isn't right, she shouldn't be preaching about things like this at 17. She shouldn't have to leave her children in such a way, she shouldn't have leave everything all behind like this, she shouldn't be so..._okay_ with it, she shouldn't be so _apologetic_, since _she _is the one who's-

"Katara," Zuko blurts out, and he cannot hold it in any longer. "Stop talking like this!"

She is apologetic, as she looks at him. "Zuko..."

"I can't live without you." he spat, so livid he can barely control himself.

She blinks, before smiling, and that's what hurts the most. Her eyes are so static and wild, still; her skin in covered in a layer of sweat, glistening with every move she makes. This only makes him angrier, and he can feel the fire about to erupt from his nostrils; only she can infuriate him like this.

She spoke to all of them, now.

"Of course you can, Zuko," she smiles, but her voice is quiet. "It'll just...take some getting used to."

Before anymore can be said, the doors slide open, and Aang has to quickly whip away at the weapons that fly at them. They all charge out, but their knees are buckling from fatigue, and it doesn't take that long for any of them to realize that they are all reaching their limit.

But surprise fills them as they take in the large room they had seen 4 times before hand; however, this time, in the middle of the room, is a huge fountain, bursting with water that splashes loudly in the background. It is made of white stone, looking so angelic and pure in the dimly lit room, that it almost looks like a hallucination of sorts, a bitter illusion.

Their hearts prepare to soar at the sight of it, but this unintended prize came at a price. Floating about the huge fountain, on a flat disc of ice, hovers a waterbending rebel that guards the fountain dutifully, mercilessly. There is a glass window above him, which is their best bet for escape; however, it portrays the blackened sky of the night, the full moon's light glowering down onto him.

He is laughing manically as he slices the water at the group, waving his arms as he summons the rebels bodies to fly at them, giving them a thrust start; they all stiffened at this, but didn't have much time to deal with the shock as they dodged the attacks of the rebels that were thrown at them, the waterbending rebel's laugh echoing through the room as he watched them.

"Katara," Zuko breathed, panting as he watched the rebel wreck havoc. "I thought that you and Hama were the only bloodbenders in the world."

"I know," she replied, hissing at the ache of her body.

"Do you think he was her pupil as well?" Zuko asked, dodging some attacks before hurling fire.

Katara shook her head, bodies flying away with a flick of her wrist. "I killed Hama a while ago. Before that, she hadn't been to either of the Water Tribes in decades. This man must have learnt bloodbending himself, but-"

But a heard wall of earth came colliding into the pair, forcing Katara to draw water from the air and slice it in half before it could hit either her or Zuko. But they used this a decoy, two rebels charging at them, flinging fire and earth to separate them as they sparred relentlessly, taking advantage of Katara's weak state as they attacked her.

One of them chuckle at her, pausing. "You're holding up remarkably, considering how far the Arkhurn has taken you. But it's alright; with those advanced moves you're using, which I'm guessing only masters can perform, you'll be dead in no time. Leaving your little kiddies for us to play with-"

Katara raises a hand, cocking her wrist upwards, forcing the rebel's arms backwards, breaking them instantly with a thick crack. He body sagged to the floor, hitting the ground with a thud. Katara staggers, and she can feel her heart capsize; he body jarred, the pain overwhelming her as it rendered her body useless. She was running out of time, and she probably only has a few good moves left until-

A rebel grabbed Sokka's body from her back and threw him aside, alarming her; but her body was riddled with too much Arkhurn, her immune system failing on her as her vision blurred, her mind unable to cope. She could feel her organs shutting down now, and she was running out of time, she was running out of time, Sokka's body is thrown to side, skidding on the floor, and she is running out of time-

The rebel grabs fistfuls of her long, curly hair; snagging it brutally backwards as he pulls her to the ground. Katara cried out shakily, hissing at the pain; it didn't matter how much blood she pushed to her limbs, to her heart, to her brain in order to make it work desperately. The rebel pulled on her hair again, and she could feel her scalp burning at some of the hair that was being pulled out viciously.

She was forced to her knees, and was barely conscious; she faced the ceiling, panting as she fought to stay awake. Blood erupted from her throat, and she choked, due to the angle her head was put at; she was choking and choking and choking, and she would've choked to death if she hadn't mentally sprayed the blood back out of her mouth again.

"You sure are a pretty one, _Lady Katara_," a menacing voice whispered into her ear, making her shudder and groan, her head throbbing. She felt slimy, cold tongue run up her neck, but she could do nothing as she choked on her blood again, her mind alarmed at the menacing laugh that rang in her ears.

She felt rough hands around her tunic, raising it up feverishly, but before she had time to register it, the rebel propelled to the side; ragged, unforgiving flames thrusting him far away from Katara's body, and she thudded to the floor, barely awake as she narrowed her eyes from the excruitating pain in her abdomen.

Zuko grabbed the rebel by the collar before he even had time to respond, before grabbing his head and snapping to the side mercilessly; the crack made Katara shudder. His face was hardened, his entire body shaking wildly in anger as he helped Katara to her feet, his temper like white, hot fury as he glared at the unconscious rebel on the ground.

"Zuko!" she hissed at him, panting from pain, and rage. "He could be paralyzed from what you just did!"

"He deserves it," Zuko spat. "He's disgusting _vermin_ for touching you like that; the only reason I didn't kill him is because I didn't want Aang and Toph to see, and I knew you wouldn't approve."

She was beyond shocked, to say the least, since she had never seen him like this before. He was merciless and cold and brutal, yet his hands were so gentle as they wrap around her body, holding her up. She wonders if the Zuko she just saw, and the Zuko that is holding her now is the same person, as she looks at him, speechless, his golden eyes still fuming at the rebel on the ground.

"Zuko..." she breathes, and she just doesn't know what to say.

His arms are strong around her, and she can feel the firmness of his muscles, the musky incense of him filling her nostrils, calming her instantly. She can feel his hand rest protectively on the small of her back, and she still doesn't know what to say. She wonders how his skin is so soft, as she feels his hands clasp at her hairline as blood erups from her mouth and onto the floor.

Katara is forced to lurch forward, thankful that Zuko is holding her up, and holding her hair out of the way; she is loosing far too much blood, and he realized that if she wasn't a bloodbender, she would've been dead levels ago. It hurts her, the blood that makes it way out of her body; it burns her throat forcefully, making her entire body twitch in agony.

Once she is finished, she blacks out for a good minute; and this amount of time was a luxury to say the least, but that was the very reason why she was deprived of it. Zuko is saying her name, again and again as he carried her body to Sokka's that was still strewn about the floor, dragging her back to consciousness. She knows he is panicking, because for a second, he thought that was it.

Katara can faintly hear Aang and Toph growling as they bend, and this sparks strength from within her, forcing herself to sit up in Zuko's arms, however painful it was; she has to refreeze Sokka's arm, shifting the worn down water and blood together again before fanning out her fingers, freezing it instantly. The water isn't holding up as well any more, and she needs new water, and so she draws some from the air, holding it over Sokka's still bloodied arm, and-

She feels a gust of wind behind her, and she turns to find Zuko's body not on the ground, next to her like he should be; instead, he is up in the air, convulsing, golden eyes alive with terror as his body is being controlled without his consent.

She can the chuckling from the fountain, and Katara knows that these are her last few minutes.

However, she does not savor them.

"Looks like the Fire Lord isn't as mighty as everyone makes him out to be," the rebel jeers, smiling broadly as he swiftly hovers Zuko's body closer to him. Zuko' can't even pant, can't even open his mouth to scream; only allow his convulsing body to be guided to the bloodbending rebel. "Isn't it funny, how you all think you're so powerful until a bloodbender is in your midst."

Katara gets up slowly, watching Zuko's body hover helplessly in the air; there is a little part of her chest that is shaking in terror at him, at the possibility that Zuko's life mind end here with her. Though this is what frightens Katara to her very core, this is the very thing that empowers her, as she breathes in the glow from the moon that creeps in through the glass window.

"Too bad, Lady Katara," the rebel continues, as he pulls Zuko's body closer to him. "If you hadn't been infected from the Arkhurn, or been our side, we would've been a great bloodbending duo, don't you think?"

"Let go of him." Katara said, and she is not asking.

The rebel just laughs. "You're pretty demanding for someone who's about to-"

His body freezes; Katara does not even lift a finger. Zuko's body plummets to the ground, but Aang and Toph capture him safely in the earth; they run to him, assure that he is fine, and only then do they realize that the room is completely silent.

They look up, and find that every rebel in the room is hovering in the air, convulsing under the moonlight that peeks in through the window. Katara is the only one simply standing on the ground. They can't face at this distance, but they know that she does not let herself feel anything. The bodies hover there, filling the room with utter silence, a deafening one at that.

Katara pauses; she decides that if she is to go, she wouldn't mind going this way.

And with that, she narrows her eyes, and the bodies all shake furiously one last time, before they are utterly still in the air. They then all fall to the ground like rain in monsoon, and the three try not to count the thuds as the dead bodies collide with the ground. Aang looks away, Toph is glad that she is blind, but Zuko's eyes search frantically for her, for her voice.

Instead, he hears the thud of her body, too, hitting the ground.

Zuko races to her, shaking his head violently as he pushes fire to his feet, skidding across the room. He sees her body, lying completely still on the ground as he skids before her. Her hair is covering her face, and he pushes it away as he turns her body to face upwards. He can hear Aang and Toph behind him, and he doesn't need to turn to know that they are already crying.

Her eyes were open; but they not wild. They are not electric, static, alive and piercing. They are not screaming with emotion and depth and empathy and power. They are not _looking_, not _seeing_, as his breath shakes, and he realized how unready he is.

"K-Katara?" he asks, looking into her eyes desperately.

They are not anything; just empty and blue.

Her body is cold to the touch from the sweat that covered her, and only now does he see the blood marring her skin, her clothes; soaking through her tunic. There is condensation still at her waist from when Sokka had been frozen to her, but she's not a _her_, anymore, is she? She was nothing more than a body now, she was not anything, she was not-

"Katara..." Zuko says again, and his face screws in anguish.

He leans his forehead down onto her stomach; it was always the mothers.

"K-Katara?" Aang asks, his voice quivering and shaking at how still she is. "Katara?"

"There are more coming," Toph whispers. "I can feel them; about 130 rebels."

"Katara?" Aang asks again, frustrated now as he hears no answer. "Katara!"

"Aang..." Zuko says gently, but his voice is empty. "She's...Katara's...she's not-"

"KATARA!" Aang screams again. He pants from the wild sobs that immerse him, but then he stiffens.

His eyes glow, his arrow lighting up the room, the air around them becoming uncontrollable as he rises into the air; all emotion fading. The walls rise up, and rebels flood outwards before Toph and Zuko even have a chance to take in what is happening. But before they can attack, Aang whips them all away with a flick of his arms, the gust of air he threw knocking herds of rebels off their feet.

The rest of the rebels don't even have time to prepare themselves; Aang is out of control, hurling fire, using water from the fountain to engulf them, throwing earth at them violently, slashing away at them with air. They all cry out as their bodies fly away, their weapons not even given chance to be used as Aang throws them away.

They are all unconscious, some even dead within a few minutes, but Aang is still hovering in the air, eyes and arrow aglow as the four elements twirl around him in his rage; the air howls menacingly in the room as it whips feverishly against their skin, just as desperate and afraid as the boy in the air.

"Toph!" Zuko shouts above the wind. "Knock him out!"

"Are you crazy?" Toph cries back.

"You have to! If he stays in the Avatar State any longer, he'll die from the over exertion his body is put through!" Zuko screams back. "He's too weak from the levels, Toph! His body won't be able to cope any longer!"

Toph grits her teeth, growling before accepting that Zuko is right; she stamps her foot, swinging her arms before sending a small rock to go flying into the back of Aang's neck. His body twitches, before the light of his eyes and arrow fades, but Toph catches his plummeting body just before he smashes against the stoned floor, unconscious.

"Is he alright?" Zuko asks.

"Y-Yeah," Toph answers shakily, kneeling beside him. "I can feel a pulse, at least."

"Good." Zuko states.

He turns back to Katara, looking down at her dead body; she is so still, so so still, but this is what urges him summon the strength. Zuko took off his black over jumper, leaving him just in his maroon tunic as he looks down at Katara's body. He swallows, placing one hand on the right of her chest, the other below her left breast, and he turned to Toph.

"I need to tell me if you feel a pulse, Toph," he states. She blinks at his words, her face twisting as she starts to piece things together.

Remembering what she had briefly told him all those months ago, Zuko takes in a deep breath, and tries not to look at Katara as he electrocutes her; the blue lightening runs through her dead body, making her convulse widly under him. It frazzles around her, sounding like a fleet of birds as it lights up the room in a blue glow that looks so out of place.

Zuko stops, and turns to Toph.

She shakes her head.

He tries again, using more force this time; her body jarred violently, convulsing hysterically against the ground. Her azure eyes are still so empty, her face is still far too beautiful for that of a dead girl, even as she trembles viciously under Zuko's lightening.

Zuko stops, and turns to Toph.

She shakes her head.

This happens again and again, and Zuko continues to electrocute Katara, again and again, growing more and more desperate with every shake of Toph's head. He is growing angry and hysterical as her body continues to stay still, and he swears, again and again.

"Zuko," Toph says gently. "She's...she's not responding. We have to leave."

Zuko screamed, and he pants as tears leak from his eyes.

He concentrates, closing his eyes as he shocks her again; the blue lightening runs through her again, and it reminds him of her eyes at how alive it is, and this only upsets him further. But life fills Katara's eyes as he pupils dilate again; she gasps loudly from the shock, her body filling with life as she starts to respire again, panting quickly from the shock.

Zuko almost cries out from the happiness as he pulls her up by the shoulders to a sitting position, clutching her body to his as he released his tears into her neck. Katara swallows, not understanding. It takes her a long minute to piece things together; to watch Toph cradle Aang's unconscious body, to listen to Zuko's incoherent swears as he sobs into her.

She pulls herself back, looking into Zuko's eyes thoroughly.

"Z-Zuko..." she breathes. "Did you..?"

He hugs her fiercely again, and she blinks as she allows herself to be pulled onto his lap as he continues to swear and cry. Katara's stunned as she eventually separated them both, and she doesn't know quite how to feel as she forces herself back to survival mentality.

"What happened to Aang?" Katara asked, looking worriedly at his body.

"He went into the Avatar State when you..." Toph trails off. She bites her lip, continuing. "I had to knock him out."

Toph pauses for a second. "What about the Arkhurn, Katara?"

Katara studied herself for a couple of seconds. "The effects seem to be reversed. I think that once my organs shut down, the Arkhurn had nothing else to cling to for a host to grow, and therefore has subsided."

There is a pause again, as Katara looked over the masses of rebels that lay on the ground.

"We need to get out of here," Zuko stated, pulling Sokka onto his back.

Toph nodded, Katara helping her lift Aang onto her back. She drew all of the water from the fountain, wrapping it around all of them securely; they then flew upwards, crashing through the window, out into the open again, after what had felt like an eternity.

They all realized that fresh air was a luxury.

* * *

_**Zuko;** _

_Out of all of the girls, women, friends, allies and people that I have ever met in my life, Katara has always been the one I have never ever been able to figure out properly. I speak like this only through experience; I have never known what the hell is going on in that head of hers since I ambushed her village two and a half years ago, all the way up until this day, and I'm just as clueless about her as I was back then. _

_I don't know if I'll ever really figure her out; it kind of scares me, though, watching her when I know her brain is ticking away, thinking things I'll never know of. But, weirdly enough, that's sort of one of the things that I like most about her (besides her insanely gorgeous beauty, inside and out). _

_Being with Mai was so...predictable and boring; after a year of being with her, I felt like I had already lived a lifetime of the same moments, the same situations, the same arguments. But with Katara, it's completely different; I never know what to expect when I'm with her. I never know what she's going to say or do, no matter how long I stare into her eyes trying to prepare myself. _

_A prime example of this was immediately after our battle with Azula; after I was severely injured, having taken her lightening for Katara, she took my sister down single handedly. Sure, she healed me, that much is true; but the truth was, in reality, she didn't say anything at all. She just knelt over me and healed me, and her jaw was clearly clenched as she helped me up, dragging me back to the base._

_She didn't say anything to me. Not one word. _

_I mean, it's wasn't like I was asking her to kiss me to oblivion or anything (pretend I didn't say that), but a simple, 'thanks, Zuko' or 'cheers for saving my life, Zuko' would've been more than adequate. Once we arrived at the base, she healed me a bit more. Everyone was joyous and laughing by the time we got back, but I guess that's just the usual reaction to the end of a 100 year long war. _

_No one messed with Katara, since everyone could tell she was a little...edgy, to say the least. And everything was going smoothly, despite my confusion, until she had just finished healing me to full strength, something of which I was very impressed at, since not even Yagoda of the Northern Water Tribe could do such a thing. _

_I got up, feeling great, the laughter around us seeping into me. I opened my mouth to thank Katara, but before I could, she grabbed by body and threw me against the pole of a tent behind me viciously, gripping my collar as she snarled at me; the entire base went dead silent. _

_"WHAT THE HELL _WAS _THAT?" she screamed into my face, I had never seen her this mad before. __  
_

_"Wh-What are you-" I splutter, finding it hard to breathe under her grasp of my shirt. _

_She growled in my face, and everyone else looked just as scared as I was. I had never heard such silence before; everyone, even Appa, just stared at us, watching Katara slam my body into the metal pole of the tent, to which I knew a painful bruise was now forming._

_Her eyes were so so blue; so screaming and static and alive, I tried not to be infatuated by them, but failed like I always do._

_"Taking Azula's lightening for me like that, like some kind of _idiot_!" Katara screamed into my face, pushing my body harder into the tent pole._

_My screwed up in anger and confusion. "Well sorry for saving your life! What else was I supposed to do? Just let you get hit like that?" _

_I knew she wanted to punch me, then; I could tell by the way she grinded her teeth together, by the way I could tell she had to use everyone ounce of her inner strength as to not beat me to a pulp, then and there, in front of everybody. _

_"If I hadn't been there to heal you, Zuko, you would have definitely died," she snarled at me, baring her teeth a little. _

_I glare at her, shouting back. "Well, you _were _there! I'm alive and well! I don't see why you're so mad at me for saving your life!" _

_She growled so loudly, that the water in the all of the glasses splashed everywhere, as she released my collar, stepping back before pulling at her long, curly hair. She shut her eyes, and her long, thick eyelashes were moist from the tears that I now registered, as well as her ragged breath from the sobs she suppresses easily. _

_"Let's...give these two a minute." her father, Chief Hakoda utters, leading everyone away from the base briskly. _

_Me and Katara were alone, then, and she is glaring at me, her eyes brimming with tears that make my insides keel over; she's standing right in front of me, and I'd never seen her so mad before, never seen her so livid with uncontrollable rage as she snarls at me._

_But she is suddenly so confused, her anger melting away as she looks up at me. I don't know what to say to her, as her demeanor falls, as she presses her lips together to prevent them from wobbling, and she is still refusing to let her tears fall._

_"Why would you do that?" she whispers, so quietly, I can barely hear her. "You would've died, Zuko. Why would you risk such a thing for me?" _

_I'm watching her, and I still can't figure her out; I don't know what to say, so I don't say anything as I grab her wrist and pull her petite frame to mine. Her head stops at the base of my neck, and I can feel her angry tears soak my shirt, but that's the last thing I care about. I can't quite turn away from the fact that she is too perfect in my arms; our bodies fit far too perfectly together, and I press my face down into her hair. _

_"You're worth it, Katara," I murmur to her. "I'd risk my life for you every time."_

_I bask a little too much by her arms winding around my body, by her pressing into my chest as I hold her. We stay like that for a long, long time, and it dawns on me that Katara isn't just a girl, ally or friend to me anymore. As I held her, then, I wondered if she ever was. _

_"Would you be mad at me?" she asks suddenly, her voice a little timid. "You know...if I died?" _

_My brows furrow, but I answer honestly. "Livid." _

_I can feel her body move as she laughs at me, and I laugh too. We don't register the rest of our friends flood back into the base, whispering and sniggering to each other as we pull away from each other, both red in the face. We try not to make eye contact, but it happens anyway, to which neither of us totally regretted. _

_I watch, all through dinner, my stomach churning as Aang holds her. __I realized it bothered me, and not just a little. _

_I broke up with Mai the following month._

* * *

Okay...so, Katara died. But only, for like, 3 or 4 minutes! But it's okay, she's now alive again! Thanks to Zuko, the human automated external defibrillator! Yay :)

Bear with me until next chapter; get ready to play the waiting game...:\

Thanks for everything! Please review!

- Yin


	20. Chapter 19

Oh man, can't believe I've got this far for this fic! I remember a few months ago when I had the idea, and I was quite hesitant to go through with it, but now I'm so glad that I did! Thank you all for everything!

- Yin

P.S. You! Yes, you, reading this! You are such a BABE. ;)

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 19 **

All they did was glide on Katara's veil of water at a lightening pace, but they soon became accustomed to the hair that would whip their face due to the immense speed. Zuko guessed that they must have been going for hours, since he and Toph had fallen asleep on numerous occasions, being woken up only as Katara would swiftly turn or glide along the huge space of open land faster.

They basically fled until Katara physically couldn't go any further without collapsing; which was a long, long time. Eventually, Katara had navigated them to some jungle-like atmosphere, since plants meant water, water meant animals, and animals meant food. She set them all down placidly, evenly dispersing the water into the air after her, Zuko and Toph held onto Aang and Sokka's unconscious bodies.

It was still late at night, the full moon glowering down at them as Katara took a deep breathe, kneeling down to her brother and Aang's bodies, inspecting them carefully now. It was a miracle that they had even made it out of the base, but once she understood the severity of the boys' condition, and the memories of Lee that played out in her mind, she knew it came at a price.

"Aang will be fine; his body is just physically drained. It's the good thing you knocked him out when you did, or doubt he'd be even be alive right now," Katara informs Zuko and Toph. "He just needs some rest."

"What about Sokka?" Zuko asked tentatively, kneeling next to her.

Katara paused, gritting her teeth. "It's a miracle he hasn't bled out up until now. His left arm now ends at the elbow, so I guess it's not really an arm any more; I'll have to heal him properly, now. He'll be okay, but he'll need to go through months of rehabilitation in order to learn how to live with the disadvantage."

There was another pause, as Toph wriggled her toes, taking in the area. "Do you know where we are, Katara?"

She shook her head, testing Sokka's temperature. "I just went straight for greenery; Agni knows where Ba Sing Se is. I don't even know if we're still in the Earth Kingdom; either way, the officials will be looking for us."

"What do you mean?" Toph asked, kneeling next to Aang.

"Me, Katara and Lee had a meeting scheduled with the Earth King a few days ago; they're probably tearing down all of Ba Sing Se looking for us now," Zuko spoke evenly, though his voice shook a little. "It won't help once they found out the Avatar, the son of the Chief of Southern Water Tribe and Master Bei Fong are missing too. When we get back, there's gonna be a lot of press to deal with."

"Whoop dee doo," Toph groaned, picking herself up again. "I'll create a tent for us, then. Looks like we can't leave here until Sokka is stable."

"That'd be great, Toph," Katara said, getting up also. "I need to go and get some herbs for Sokka; that is, if they even grow here."

"I'll come with you," Zuko stated, rising to his feet, towering over her. "We all need something to sleep on."

Katara raised a brow, smirking a little. "You think you'll find mattresses in a jungle?"

Zuko grinned. "More like moss."

They turn to depart, as they hear Toph summon walls of earth to surround her, Aang and Sokka. She isn't stupid; she can feel Zuko and Katara's hearts race every time their shoulders brush together, or they say each others names. She feels Aang's presense next to her as she bends, and wonders if she and him were just as stupid and oblivious as those two were.

"See ya, lovebirds," she calls out, grinning as she feels their heart beats soar, and she doesn't need to see to know they both turned to glare at her. "Try not to get..._preoccupied_."

"Toph!" Zuko hissed, his cheeks inflamed, whilst Katara coughed awkwardly, hiding her own fierce blush.

"What?" Toph asked innocently, smirking as she raised another wall. "You're both young, hormones and what not flying about-"

"_Goodbye_, Toph," Katara said firmly, walking briskly away from the girl's laughter, Zuko hot on her heels.

It felt strange to smile, knowing that it wouldn't be their last; Zuko also noted how strange is was to remember her dead body in front of him, blue eyes wide open, looking at him, but really seeing him. He watched her under the moonlight; it illuminated Katara as she sifted through the plants, brows furrowed in concentration, and she paused as she blew some hair out of her face.

Her mocha skin reflected the moonlight, but the light also highlighted the blood that will still soaking parts of her blue tunic; like on her shoulder, where she had received the stab, on the chest, from the blood that spewed from her mouth and nose, on the bottom, that held a collection of everyone's blood except for his own. Her eyes were aglow, like lanterns, azure and fierce; her curly hair, though messy and wild, was still beautifully graceful as it fell over her shoulder.

She didn't want to look at him, since she knew it would just make her feel even more stupid and guilty and embarrassed; she kicked herself inwardly, for saying and doing all of those things in the elevator to 5. Hell, she was right to do that, though; she said those things because she knew that she was going to die, and she did. She just didn't expect him to bring her back and force her face the consequences of her last minute actions.

Zuko didn't see the point in waiting anymore; the image of her dead body in front of him, in his mind, encouraging him.

He reached out and grabbed her wrist, turning her so that he had her full attention; her toward over her petite form, and this made Katara a little weak in the knees. He was annoyingly handsome; with his warm, amber eyes and messy hair. Not to mention his strongly built, muscled body that she swears in carved by Agni's angels, and that low, tender _voice _of his that just made her stomach flip.

She hesitantly met his gaze, stepping away a little, since they were far too close. His week old stubble only made him even more endearing, even more irresistible to her; as well as his thick, musky scent that made her weak in the knees. She inadvertently gazed at Zuko, realizing that she never stood a chance in trying to resist admitting how attractive he was; this annoyed her to no end.

"Wh-What?" Katara asked, squirming under his gaze. She intended to sound fierce, but it didn't play out like that.

He paused for along time, the full moon being the only witness as his eyes fixated on her small form. She still had some dried blood on her face and neck, all up and down her exposed arms. But somehow, he could still smell her; that fresh scent with a hint of something sweet. Not floral, or spicy...something he couldn't quite explain. Whatever it was, it was addictive.

"Did you mean what you said?" Zuko asked abruptly, firmly, his voice shaking her. "On the elevator to 5?"

She blinked up at him, her mouth a little agape at his words; she was hoping he had forgotten. She pressed her lips together, swallowing nervously. He still gripped her hand as she fumbled uncomfortably, her brows tensing as she realized she couldn't lie, or possibly save herself from the question. She tried to think of ways out, ways to run, ways to hide, she looked away when she found no such outcome.

"Zuko...I..." she murmured quietly. "I thought I was going to die; I _did _die! I didn't know that you'd...that you'd...if I _would_ have known, I wouldn't have said any of that! I was just...just...I didn't think that-"

"Did you mean what you said?" Zuko sliced through, his voice firm and rigid, however quiet, his eyes burning into her.

"I-I didn't know I'd be alive to..to..." Katara cried desperately. "I didn't think that...I'm sorry I said anything! I just...I..."

"_Katara_," Zuko hissed loudly, silencing her. His eyes were practically glowing as they bore into her. "Did you mean what you said to me in that elevator?"

This was one of those moments when Katara wanted do nothing more than cry, and hate herself for wanting such a thing. His grip on her wrist was still present, still holding her firm, disabling her from the possibly of just running. Her face screwed up a little, hating her past self for admitting something so, so stupid. She looked away, but she could feel his eyes on her, watching her every move.

"Yes," she whispered sorrowfully, her voice cracking. "I'm sorry."

He watched her, and he knew he would never figure her out; who the hell apologizes for their feelings? Even though she was half turned away from him, she looked so full of anguish and despair and shame, like she had actually done something wrong. She pressed her lips together, before sinking her teeth into the bottom one, closing her eyes briefly, hating herself so so much.

"Why are you sorry?" Zuko cried indignantly. "I've felt the same way about you for Agni knows how long! And the only reason I didn't do anything was because of Aang and our duties, but mostly because I just didn't think you'd actually feel the same way!"

Her head snapped to him, and Katara now fully understood the term, 'being rendered speechless'. Her blue eyes were alive as they blinked at him rapidly, digesting his words, yet still not entirely registering them. But she shook her head violently, growling as she snatched her arm from Zuko's firm grip, baring her teeth a little as she stared up at him, quite furious.

"It doesn't matter how we feel, Zuko!" Katara cried, frustration filling her. "We both have obligations to the world, significant ones at that! You have a nation to rule, and I have army to lead! There was never supposed to be an..._us_. We weren't ever meant to happen!"

"Who says so?" Zuko screamed back at her, edging closer. "Aang? The world? You? I'm not going to lie, I used to think they were viable reasons not to be together either, Katara! But after what happened...after seeing you like that, on 5...nothing is worth not being with you. Nothing is worth not fighting for our happiness, and for our right to be happy; _t__ogether_."

"You're insane, Zuko!" Katara yelled at him, anger bubbling inside of her. "We can't be selfish! It's not fair to the world, to Aang-"

"How is it not?" Zuko bellowed back. "Why is harboring these feelings selfish, Katara? We want to be together, and I don't see why that's such a bad thing anymore! Aang and the world will just have to deal with it; we don't have to pay the price for the love you never felt naturally towards him."

"I was supposed to be _his_!" Katara screamed at him, silencing Zuko momentarily. She panted, scowling as she felt sobs building up inside of her. "It was either Aang or nothing. He loved me, Zuko, and I threw it all back in his face! It's selfish to-"

"You're talking bullshit, and you know it!" Zuko shouted. "Face it, Katara; the only reason you're not going through with this is because you feel like you don't deserve it, because you never fell in love with the person you the world deemed you should have, when you're the most deserving of all! When the hell has love ever gone to plan anyway?"

Zuko growled loudly before continuing, fire erupting from his nose.

"Because Agni forbid you ever stop for a second and give a shit about how _you_ really feel, Katara!"

Katara was stunned at his words, stepping back a little. It saddened her, infuriated her and ashamed her all at the same time as his words were absorbed by her brain, because she realized, very reluctantly, that he was right. But it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to change how things were, the duties that they had, the time that had passed since she was a blissfully ignorant tribal girl, and he a mournful, banished prince.

She still couldn't look at him, and her eyes were sullen. "I'm sorry, Zuko."

He took in a deep breath, his brows furrowing.

They didn't do anything for a while, since it took a second to drag themselves back to earth; but eventually, they carried on looking for herbs and comfortable moss to sleep on, avoiding eye contact altogether. They didn't quite know what to say, either, since no words could compare to such turmoil. So, they said nothing; and the moon wept for them.

* * *

They arrived back to see that Toph had built a little mini fortress; it was remarkably wide in size, like a huge, earth tent, which was circular and consisted of a roof, as opposed to a triangular tent. Upon arrival inside the hideout, Toph had created two tables in which Aang and Sokka could lie on whilst unconscious, to which Katara was overwhelmed at, since it hurt after a while to kneel in the same place for hours on end.

Katara stood at the doorway, breaking down some trees for water; it would take a while, since she needed water for to heal, for everyone else to drink, and to eventually cook with the vegetables her and Zuko had found. Meanwhile, Zuko arranged some moss on the ground for everyone to sleep on, as well as under Aang and Sokka's head for support.

"You did a great job, Toph," Katara commented from the doorway. She turned to the young girl, her eyes softening as she looked at her still blood spattered face. "Toph...you still have Lee's blood on your face."

Toph jumped at this scratching away at the dried blood that was smeared all over cheeks. Katara approached her, rubbing her fingers together, summoning droplets of water from the air to wipe away at the blood on Toph's face gently. Zuko watched them, wondering how this situation would have played out if he had never thought to revive her, but dismissed the thought as he built a campfire. It wasn't right, even hypothetically, to strip children from their mother.

After a while he sensed Katara approach him cautiously, also, not quite looking at his eyes. "You...you have some blood on your arms and face, too."

"Oh." was all Zuko uttered.

He allowed her to wipe away at it with the water, trying not to savor her touch, or the way his heart skipped a beat as their skin made contact with each other. They tried not to look at each other as Katara cleaned him; a little sullen from their argument, and also from the fact that the blood she was cleaning actually belonged to her, from how she had bled due to the Arkhurn that had killed her.

After eating some roots and drinking water, Katara began healing Sokka after re-tying his make shift tourniquet; she broke down the water mingled with his blood that was frozen around his arm, dispersing it into the air as she engulfed it with new water before it could start bleeding profusely again.

The herbs tinged the water a pale green colour as it glowed, reminding Zuko of that night many, many months ago when Katara came to do a full body on him in the middle of the night; he watched her, as she pushed and pulled the water about her brother, licking her lips in concentration as she healed. Her tunic was still covered in splattered with dried blood, that was now rusty in colour.

Toph fell asleep quickly, since, like the rest of them, she was utterly shattered; Zuko found it hard not to fall asleep, too, but made sure he stayed awake for Katara's sake, since he knew she would have to keep on healing Sokka for a while. In the mean time, Zuko fashioned some torches to provide efficient light within the hideout, as well hunting some animals, skinning and cutting them for he and Katara to cook later for them all.

It reminded them of the days in the Western Air Temple again; the days when what to eat for dinner was more problematic as to how the Fire Lord was to be taken down, and the world to be revived of hope again. It was strange to think they had both gone more than a year without this; without cooking and healing and cleaning for their children.

It came like second nature to them now; something that wasn't completely in their control. This only frustrated Zuko further; mothers and fathers are open with each other. They are _honest_ with each other about how they feel. He can hear Katara breathing loudly, inadvertently as she heals Sokka, and he knows she is tiring, since who wouldn't, after four and a half hours of advanced healing?

"Katara," he said calmly, turning to approach her.

He stiffens a little as he sees her; her face screwed up as she looked down at Sokka ruefully. She's an expert at holding in her tears, as always, but he suspects that there may be some waterbending involved in that one. Her hands never leave her brother's mangled arm, the pale green light flickering as Katara sniffs, biting her lip as she watches over him.

"I told him I'd protect him, Zuko," she said quietly. "When our mother died, I said I'd protect him from then onwards."

She manages to bandage up Sokka's arm with some strips of her tunic just in time, before Zuko eases himself against her body, pulling her to him as she rests her head on his chest. He knows now that she is waterbending her tears away, dispersing them into the air before they actually have a chance to fall, because then, theoretically, she can kid herself she never let them out in the first place.

"It's not your fault," Zuko said firmly, despite how gently he held her, swayed her. "There's nothing you, or anyone could have possibly done."

"Exactly," Katara whispered into his shirt. "He was doomed from the second he stepped into Ba Sing Se."

"We all were, Katara." he spoke in his deep voice.

She was so small against his broad body, he registered, as he closed his eyes; her head barely passed the base of his neck, allowing his head to rest on top of hers easily. He could smell her; that sweet, fresh smell that infatuated him with every breathe. His arms were loose around her waist, and her could feel the curve of her hips up to the arch of her back; curves he couldn't help but be drawn to.

"You did protect him," Zuko spoke into her hair after a while. "You protected all of us; on the contrary, you got yourself killed in doing so."

She winced, since the topic made her stomach churn in guilt; she remembered the feeling from when her mother died. That feeling of desperate helplessness, when you realize you've lost something that great. She hated to think she made any one of her friends to feel this way, pressing her face into Zuko's chest as a consequence to this. She breathed him in deeply, his musky incense comforting her in ways nothing and no else ever did.

"But, they did show a little mercy," Katara informed, though, a little weakly. "They amputated Sokka's arm with a normal sword. There's no trace of Arkhurn in his body, apart from my own infected blood that spilt on him at the time."

He gaped a little into her hair, chuckling quietly, making her scowl. "What?" she asked indignantly.

"Just...surprised, I guess," he murmured. "But I shouldn't be; if there's anyone in the world who can find humanity in having their brother's arm cut off through torture, it would be you."

She stiffened against him, blinking as she licked her lips in surprise, not quite knowing what to make of his words. His chest was firm against her, like an unbreakable iron wall she could press her face against. He was warm, indescribably warm; the comforting kind, the kind you waited all winter for, the kind you didn't know existed in a world like this one any more, forcing Katara to relish in it.

Aang started to groan against the table as he drifted back to consciousness, finally starting to register the dull ache that coursed through his entire body. Katara moved herself away from Zuko, though a little reluctantly, swiping a hand through the air as she retrieved some water from it. She pressed it against Aang's chest, gliding it up to his head, the familiar blue light flickering.

"How is he?" Zuko asked quietly, approaching her side.

"A little dizzy, in some pain; nothing time and some water won't fix," she uttered, raising the water up in the air, Aang's chest ascending with it, before depleting calmly. "He needs food, like the rest of us. We better start cooking."

"What about Sokka?" Zuko questioned gently, his eyes settling on him as he lied on the stone table.

Katara paused before answering, her eyes flickering over to her brother. "I'm going to have to wake him," she paused again, biting her lip. "I don't know how he's going to react to what has happened to him. We have to be patient and sensitive; let him be mad. He's needs to accept it."

Zuko swallowed, nodding. He turned to begin to prepare the meat to cook, but paused; he reached out to Katara, pushing some hair behind her ear. She stiffened at the action, his fingers gliding over the skin of her jaw momentarily, before his hand dropped abruptly, walking into the middle of the room to prepare a campfire to cook at.

Katara's stomach was still tight even as Zuko's hand left her face, and she closed her eyes as she continued to heal Aang; she didn't look up as Zuko started to cook, as he laid some more moss over Toph's body whilst she slept, as he ignited the fire with a clench of his fist. He didn't look at her either, as they both ignored the stinging feeling in the middle of their chests.

* * *

"Is it ready?" Toph asked eagerly, sniffing at the air. "I'm starved."

Zuko smiled a little at her. "Almost," he uttered, stirring the soup in a makeshift earth bowl Toph had summoned a while ago. "Be patient."

She raised a brow at him. "Are you sure you know who you're talking to?"

He laughed quietly at her, setting the bowl of soup onto the ground so that Toph could see it. He handed her the spoon for her to serve herself, smiling as she licked her lips hungry. Zuko got up slowly, turning to Katara who went back and forth between Aang and Sokka. Aang was fully awake now, though a little groggy as Katara bandaged him with some strong leaves and vines they had found hours ago.

Sokka, however, remained unconscious, Katara's electric blue eyes flickering towards his body far too occasionally. Zuko approached them, helping Aang off of the stone table and leading him over to the campfire to eat, setting him down carefully before returning to Katara's side as she hovered over Sokka's body reluctantly. She took in a deep breathe, licking her lips for nth time that day, swallowing loudly.

"The food is ready," Zuko urged. "You better wake him."

She nodded slowly, stiffly, but did not move. "I'm scared he'll hate me." she blurted out quietly. "I mean, people have hated me before, being a healer and all; when you're grieving, you need something or someone to hate. And I didn't mind being that person before, but now..."

"It won't matter," Zuko cut off firmly. "He loves you too much to hate you properly."

She glanced up at him, grinding her teeth together before slapping some sense into herself; Katara edged closer to her brother, lifting a hand and waving it over his face as she pushed enough blood back to his brain in order to awaken it. He groaned loudly, his eyes only half open as Zuko and Katara helped him to sit up slowly, supporting his back and head, holding their breaths.

Sokka felt pain; not the pain when your boomerang accidently flies back into your head, or when your sister hits your arm having hurt yourself again. This pain was different; it was stong, strong surge of aching in his left arm, and he started to remember a few things, re-live a few things, a few horrible things. His eyes widened, his mind becoming alert as he registers the stump that is now the remainder of his arm, bandaged in unbreakable vines and leaves.

He opened his mouth to speak, but his face screwed up as he lifted it in the air for him to examine. It ended at the elbow now, and there was still a tourniquet, tied with a strip of Katara's tunic firmly on his bicep. He speechless, and he didn't even register that Zuko and Katara were supporting him until Katara spoke.

"Be careful," she said quietly, the whole room completely silent apart from the crackle of the fire. "I've healed you as best I can, but your body is still regenerating."

"You should eat something," Zuko said abruptly. "None of us has really eaten properly for days now."

There was just silence that followed, as Sokka just stared at his arm, his mouth parted. He had Katara's eyes, Zuko noted, but they were misty, more pastel, less vibrant, despite his personality. Sokka blinked, again and again and again, realizing that no matter how much he did so, nothing would change. Katara's heart twisted, her stomach churned, trying her hardest to stop her face from screwing up.

"How do I use my boomerang?" Sokka asked simply. "How will I wield my sword? You need balance for things like that, you need precision and control throughout your entire body. It's not something...something you can do _one handedly_..."

"Sokka..." Katara eased in, swallowing hard.

His voice raised, his eyes brimming with sharp tears. "I was going to propose to Suki soon," he spoke, but his voice bellowed a little. "But now, I won't even be able to pick her up! I won't be able to pick up _anything_!

"Sokka!" Katara cried, but she wasn't sharp enough.

He was screaming now. "What about when I have children? I won't even be able to hold them properly!" Sokka cried loudly, his face screwing up in anger and anguish. "What kind of a husband will I be if I can't even hunt? If I can't even feed my family? What am I if I can't-"

"This is not the end, Sokka!" Katara bellowed firmly, grabbing his shoulders, forcing him to look at her. "One day, you'll be able to do all of those things! It will take some time, and some work, and a lot of effort, but this is not the end of the life you have lived!"

His lip shook wildly, but Katara had already brought his body to hers in a fierce huge before anyone else could see his tears. He sobbed quietly into her neck, wrapping his one good arm around her. Everyone was silent as they watched them, as Katara stroked Sokka's hair whilst she grasped his body tightly.

After a while, they got up; Zuko and Katara helping him hop off of the table, settling him next to Katara at the campfire. They ate quietly, but Sokka struggled, growling impatiently as he found it hard to balance his bowl of soup in his lap and hold his make shift stone spoon in the other. This evidently meant that he spilled some of it down himself, making him growl louder in irritain, in helplessness.

Katara watched him all the while, setting down her own bowl of soup calmly before edging herself closer to her brother. They all watched, including Sokka, as she silently bended the soup from his clothes, and back into his bowl, as she raised the soup up to his mouth as she fed him with the spoon, so that it wouldn't fall down him. She wiped his chin with the spoon like a child, dabbing at his mouth with a scrap of her tunic before continuing to feed him.

It worried them a little, to think of how this situation would play out if Zuko hadn't been there on Level 5.

* * *

Katara moved water expertly around Aang's once dislocated shoulder, pulling and pushing the water like it was an extension of herself; he sighed from the relief of pain she brought him, but guessed that it also had something to do with her being the one healing him. He sat upright on the stone table as she healed him with a pale green water that he wasn't sure of, but did not doubt; she spoke up eventually.

"You're shoulder has healed well," Katara uttered, pulling the water about him. "I don't think you'll need further healing after this."

He watched her from the corner of his eye; her hair cascaded over her shoulder elegantly, but the blood on her tunic was still a little too apparent for his taste. Her electric blue eyes shone, even though he wasn't quite looking at them; he shivered at the memory of seeing them so empty on the last level, and he shook the memory from him, since it made his stomach churn.

Aang also saw the way Zuko glanced at her, and she, him; the eye contact barely even existed, since they both looked away before they could even scold themselves for looking in the first place. He noted how Zuko grinded his teeth together, how Katara inhaled a sharp breath, and somewhere in the middle of his chest, he felt a sting, and dull ache, and he knew that it wasn't due to over exertion as a consequence to the Avatar State.

"You've gotten so much better, Katara," Aang commented breezily, trying to end his thoughts. "I remember the days when it would take you hours to heal a cut; now, it's like second nature to you."

She smiled a little, but it felt a bit bitter. "It's just practice," she replies evenly. "And Agni knows I've had enough of that."

Aang also remembered the 14 year old that uncovered him and Appa from that iceberg; she was not that same girl anymore, and it took him a second to register that she hadn't been for a long, long time now. It still hurt a little, on the days when she would laugh but her eyes wouldn't light up; the days when she smiled, but wasn't really _smiling_. It hurt a little more, when Zuko managed to draw such genuine things from her easily, when he himself failed to.

"Katara," Zuko uttered quietly, approaching the pair. Aang could feel Katara tense a little, her eyes avert his as he edged closer to her. Her lashes fluttered as she blinked rapidly, probably at an effort to calm herself, though it was failing. "We've run out of fire wood. I'll have to go and get some for tonight."

She nodded stiffly, still not quite looking up at him. "How's Sokka?"

Zuko paused for a second, watching her intently. And there was this look; this way that he looked at her, this way that was so different to how he looked at anyone else, so different to how he looked at everything else. Aang knew this, because he too looked at her in this same way; he realized that the reason why Katara didn't want to look at Zuko was because she was afraid he himself might pick up how she unintentionally returned said look.

Aang's heart promptly tore in half.

"He was fine with Toph; they talked for a while," he said in his deep, comforting voice, gesturing to their sleeping forms across the room. "But they eventually fell asleep. I guess it's just easier to deal with it that way."

Katara nodded slowly, swallowing, a little too apprehensive, a little too cautious, even as he silently bid a short goodbye as he ventured outside to find firewood. Katara didn't relax, even once he had left; she was tense all over, breathing sharply as she evaporated the water swiftly into the air. She picked up the leaves and vines in preparation to re-bandage Aang's arm hastily.

He watched her, as she fumbled with the plants; she pushed some hair behind her ear, swallowing the obvious lump in her throat as she continued. She was ridiculously beautiful, and he was always aware of this; her full lips were pressed together, and Aang could tell she was grinding her teeth together, probably biting the inside of her cheek, too. Her mocha skin glistened under the moonlight that peeked in through the open front door, azure eyes piercingly vibrant.

"You want to be with him, don't you?"

The words were so blunt, so sudden, it too a second for her to wonder whether Aang had even said them; Katara was completely unprepared as her head snapped up to him, her eyes wide, blue eyes trembling within them. Her perfect lips were parted, and she frowned a little when she looked at the calm smile he was trying so desperately to offer her.

She opened her mouth to speak, to protest, to deny; but the longer she stared into his chocolate brown eyes, the more she realized the effort would be futile. She sighed, and she didn't even know she had been holding it in for so long, as she collapsed onto the table opposite Aang. Her back hunched a little as she sat, and she was afraid to look at him, afraid to confront these feelings she had.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out, though it was no louder than a whisper. She couldn't stop herself, the guilt overwhelming her so, so quickly. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry, Aang. I'm so _so_ sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry-"

"Don't be," he said calmly, simply, still trying to smile for her. "Don't be sorry, Katara."

She was glad that Sokka and Toph were asleep, then, because her vision started to blur with tears as she swallowed a sob that was on the verge of erupting from her mouth. She clamped a hand over her mouth, like she did when she had a nightmare, as Aang slowly got up, wrapping his arms around her tightly as she inwardly cursed herself for crying into his shoulder.

He smelled so familiar to her; the nostalgia just made her cry harder, because she wished she could go back and stop it all before it even happened, and maybe save herself the tears as of now. Aang pressed his cheek to the side of her ear, and she could feel him smiling that small, bitter smile, as he gently held her. The guilt she had held for the past 2 years unleashed itself as it leaked from her eyes, and it took a while for her to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry," she murmured desperately again. She didn't know what else to say. "I'm sorry."

He chuckled into her ear, despite its bitterness, softly kissing her temple. Her eyes glistened again with tears; he never did know when the appropriate time was to kiss someone, but now, things were different. Time changed a lot of things, him being no exception; she could feel how his body had grown a little taller, a little firmer from the muscle, his shoulders a little broader, his voice a little deeper. But somehow, he was still the same 12 year old boy to her.

He could smell her; he intoxicating scent of fresh...something, as he held her; her curly hair was soft as it brushed against the arm wrapped around her back. Her body had curved in that way he knew it would eventually, and it only added to indescribable beauty. Her tears were hot into his bare shoulder that his monk uniform didn't cover, and he could feel her nose brush the skin of it as she hiccuped.

"Give in, Katara," he whispered softly into her ear. "Go and be with him. Go and be happy."

She shut her eyes tightly, grabbing his clothes in her fists as she held onto him tighter. "But, I...Aang...how can I?" she asked through gritted teeth.

He stroked her back gently, soothing her. "You've been given a second chance, Katara," he said slowly against her hair. "Don't waste it living through your guilt again. It's not fair, I know; but nothing is fair these days. Life won't pause for you or for me or for Zuko to deal with that."

He stood them both up, still smiling as he brushed the tears off of her face far too gently to that of what she deserved. She hiccuped like a child, allowing him to bend some of her tears away. He stroked her cheek with his thumb as he held her face, still having that _smile _plastered onto his lips. He wasn't an immature little 12 year old boy anymore, and nor she a blissfully ignorant 14 year old.

"I'm sorry," she said again, and again and again, as she pressed her face into his hand. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Aang just smiled and smiled; even as she pressed a kiss to the side of his hand. Even as she hugged him one last time, before pulling herself away. Even as she looked out for a second at the open door, pausing for a second, before walking towards it and out into the moonlight, leaving their little hideout.

His smile fell the second she stepped out, and he let out a large sigh. He felt Toph behind him, slipping her hand into his; he didn't bother asking her when she had awoken, how much of that she had just heard. He just turn and pulled her to him, hugging her fiercely as she too wrapped her arms around him, basking in her light scent of fresh dirt and sugar.

* * *

It didn't take long for Katara to find him; he hadn't gone far, plus she could sense his blood filled body easily over the patch of jungle. He didn't notice her at first as she began to approach him. But eventually, he did; his face creasing in confusion as he set down the pile of wood, walking towards her also. The moon glowered down at them, not yet relieved, even as they stopped in front of each other.

Katara swallowed, allowing herself to look up at him. She took his hands, registering how much larger and warmer they were compared to her own. She held them gently for a second, and he understood, finally; indescribably relieved as he grabbed her fiercely, pulling her to him in a firm hug. He registered her face, which was a little blotchy from tears, her eyes still gleaming from tears.

Zuko looked down at her, breathing her in as she looked up at him also; they were hesitant, since they were so, so close, closer than they had ever been before. His arms tightened around her waist as he dipped his face down closer to hers, so that they could both feel the heat radiating off of each others, as well as smelling her salty tears that remained on her cheeks.

Her hands found their way around his neck, and her stomach was flipping uncontrollably at all of this, as she stoked the base of his neck, making him shiver in inadvertently at her touch. All they were aware of was how _close _they were; his nose stroked the side of hers gently, and he paused for a second, savoring the moment, just like she was as they pressed against each other a little more.

Zuko lowered his lips to hers, brushing against them so softly, just barely; they were soft and full, warm as well, he noted, as she raised herself onto the tips of her toes, pressing her own lips against his, deepening their kiss rather swiftly. He relished in this, pressing her closer to him as he kissed her, again and again and again, soon realizing that she tasted dangerously addictive.

His hands moved to the sides of her waist, rising up a little; Katara shivered at the touch, her hands running up into his mess of ebony hair because of it. His hair was a lot softer than it looked, she realized, as well as noting how _good _he was at this. She brought his head closer down to her so that she could kiss him a little better, and Zuko was more than happy to comply.

By the time they parted, her lips were swollen and they were both out of breath, hugging each other fiercely.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." Zuko murmured into her hair.

She grinned, however, a little bitterly into his chest, thinking of Aang, but she felt the moon finally smiling down at them.

* * *

FINALLY! I thought that kiss would never happen :) Although, I won't lie...teared up a little writing about Aang and Katara :( I think a part of me will always feel a little guilty for him...he's such a nice guy!

Thanks for everything, my lovelies :) Leave a review!

- Yin


	21. Chapter 20

You know what I hate? How when you say 'AVATAR', no one thinks of super-cool manipulation of elements or anything...they just think of the freakin' blue people. -_-

On a different yet much more random note, I think that Katara is the most underrated character of the entire series; she's actually crazily powerful; like, ridiculously so. I think that she's far more powerful that everyone else, in terms of talent and ability and skill and execution, in my opinion...in no way do they utilize her power to its full extent or potential even in the slightest.

She's my favorite :) (Though, I've always had a soft spot for Zuko...lol, but who doesn't; have you SEEN him on the beach on the Ember Islands?)

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 20 **

"So...you're going out...with my _sister_?"

Zuko swallowed, whilst Katara coughed awkwardly; both trying to hide their furiously red cheeks. They sat opposite Sokka at the two tables Katara healed at, Zuko nodding slowly, hoping to Agni Sokka wouldn't start strangling him with his one good arm there and then. He could feel Katara shift uncomfortably beside him, whilst Sokka just stared at him with narrowed eyes, looking at him up and down for a long while before continuing.

"Well, it's about time!" Sokka cried out eventually. "I didn't think it would take so long for you two to stop being so stupid!"

The new couple fumbled uncomfortably, thanking Agni that Aang and Toph had gone out to pick fruits. Katara played with her hair, which she never did, twirling it around her finger as she looked for the dead or split ends, trying desperately to calm her raging cheeks. Meanwhile, Zuko scratched the back of his neck, (to which Katara tried hard not to stare at his tricep) rather awkwardly, not quite knowing what to say.

"Erm...thanks?" Zuko uttered, wishing his cheeks would stop burning.

Sokka grinned at his blushing sister and the Fire Lord, though, his face hardened as his eyes stilled on Zuko intensely. Zuko froze under his gaze, coughing uncomfortably as Sokka bore his misty blue eyes into him like daggers.

"Why are you _staring _at me like-"

"Look, _Zuzu_," Sokka started evenly, leaning back with hardened expression. "I'm really happy for you and Katara, but that doesn't change the fact that she's my baby sister; I'm going to have to lay down some..._regulations_ for you to continue as a couple."

"Sokka, I'm 17 years old!" Katara cried. "Zuko is 19! I think we can-"

"_Exactly_," Sokka cut in. "Zuko is _19_. Trust me, Katara; being a fellow almost 19 year old, I know what 19 year olds are..._like_. He's not a kid like Aang anymore!"

Zuko scowled. "Don't call me Zuzu." he spoke rigidly. "And I would _never _take advantage of Kata-"

"Of course you wouldn't, 'cause I'd kick your ass to the Spirit World and back before you even thought about it!" Sokka snapped, silencing the pair. "Trust me, guys, I'm saying this because I have _your _best interests at heart! I just don't want to be an uncle by the time I'm 20!"

"Oh, sweet Agni..." Katara muttered, pressing her hands to her face, whilst Zuko groaned with inflamed cheeks.

"Now, I'm sure Katara, as a healer, knows well enough for the both of you about reproduction, and when _married_ men and women get..._intimate_-"

"Sokka, really, you don't need to-" Zuko cried frustratedly, but was ignored.

"So, rule number one is derived from this very..._act_," Sokka said firmly, in his 'authoritative' voice. "You and Katara cannot engage in anything up to and including..._canoodling _until Katara is 45-"

"Sokka!" Katara cried, her cheeks burning. "_Seriously_! You can't go around _saying_ stuff like-"

"Rule number two," Sokka continued swiftly. "Do _not_ listen to Dad, Gran Gran, Iroh, the Fire Nation Officials or any member of the White Lotus; they're all gonna try to persuade you to canoodle early on for some firebending/waterbending heirs to the throne-"

"Agni, what did I do wrong to deserve this?" Zuko groaned, covering his burning cheeks with his hands, whilst Katara did the same.

"Sokka, _please_-" Katara hissed with red cheeks.

"Number three!" Sokka cried firmly.

* * *

"Are you ready, Aang?" Katara asked, covering the sun's rays with her hand.

He offered her his crooked grin. "As I'll ever be."

With that, he leaped into the air, a huge gust of wind following him; the plants around them shook as he jumped up far into the sky. It was blue, far too blue, without a cloud in sight, which worried Katara about travelling, since she dreaded if it would end up like the desert again. They all paused as they waited for Aang, Zuko using the opportunity to intertwine his fingers with Katara's, to which she blushed at, whilst Sokka scowled and Toph grinned, much like Zuko.

"Whatever you're doing, Sparky, Sugar Queen's heartbeat is going crazy over it," Toph called out. "Geez, can't believe it took you guys so long."

"I know, right!" Sokka chimed in. "I mean, everything was pretty much obvious when Zuko tied her to that tree-"

Toph spluttered. "Zuko tied Sweetness to a _tree_?" she cried. She turned towards Zuko's direction. "Never guessed that would be the kinky type, Sparky!"

"It wasn't like that!" Zuko cried, angry at how he was blushing for the nth time that day. "We didn't..._I_ didn't...we were _enemies_!"

"Wow, role play, huh?" Toph beamed, raising a brow. "Didn't think you were into that sorta stuff, Sweetness."

Zuko and Katara both sighed exasperatedly, trying their best to hide their burning cheeks. They didn't see much point in arguing with Toph, since they knew anything they said would just come out wrong. Because of this, Zuko and Katara promptly let go of each other, silently agreeing that they should save all forms of attempted romance for when they returned to the Fire Nation; that is, if they ever made it back to Ba Sing Se.

As if on que, Aang came hurtling down, back into the earth again, landing safely onto a slab of rock he rose up to catch him at the last minute. Both Katara and Zuko winced a little, since his monk uniform still had splattered blood on it from when he had gone into the Avatar State at the Rebel Base; though, they kept this to themselves, since they didn't want to bring up the event they were all trying so hard to forget.

"I can just about see the wall of Ba Sing Se," Aang spoke, frowning a little. "But I think it will take a good week to walk there."

"Who said we're walking, twinkletoes?" Toph grinned, sparking a smile in Aang also.

"You look pretty when you smile, Toph," Aang blurted out, his cheeks growing pink when his brain registered what his mouth said.

They both coughed awkwardly, Toph actually thanking Agni inwardly for being blind, since eye contact with Aang would be nothing short of mortifying, according to her burning cheeks. Zuko grinned, Katara smirked, whilst Sokka raised a brow, sighing loudly.

"Great, now I have to have a talk with you two as well," he cried exasperatedly. "But I dunno, maybe that can wait a few years."

"Doubt it," Zuko chimed in. "I remember being 14. They need the talk; like, soon."

"Yeah," Katara agreed, earning a glare from Aang and Toph. "When I was 14, I was kissing random guys in any market place I could find; Agni knows what these two are up to."

"Excuse me, but me and Aang actually have some self control," Toph growled, stamping her foot in protest.

"Oh, please!" Katara cried. "You two spent an awful amount of time 'picking fruit' today! Not to mention I sensed that both your body temperatures were completely-"

"We better get going, then," Aang cut off quickly, his cheeks just as inflamed as Toph's. "So how are we going to get to the city without walking."

"Me and Katara talked about it; we think that shifts would work best," Zuko spoke evenly in his deep voice. "You and Toph can bend us through a huge slab of earth that carries us all, I could use said slab to push us all along using firebending to power us, and Katara can just draw water from the air an carry the slab in a wave. However, in order to get to the city on time, our shifts have to last 3 hours each-"

"What?" Aang and Toph exclaimed in unison.

"3 hours?" Aang cried. "We're not Katara! We can't just bend hours at a time!"

"If need be, me and Zuko will take over," Katara negotiated calmly. "We just have to get back to Ba Sing Se as soon as possible."

"No kidding; I'm dying for a shave," Sokka cried, scratching his chin furiously.

"Me too," Zuko agreed, brushing his cheek uncomfortably. "It's so uncomfortable and itchy."

"No, don't," Katara prompted with a small grin. "I kinda like stubbly Zuko."

He raised a brow, his smirk far too apparent. "Really?" he breathed, edging closer to her. "What else do you like about me?"

Katara frowned a little at the look on his face, but her blush said otherwise, no matter how much she tried to bend the excess blood away from her face; Sokka scowled at this, slotting himself between the pair; partly to make himself feel better about protecting his sister, partly because he didn't like that look Zuko had in his eye when Katara's hips swayed as she walked away from them, exasperated.

"Everyone, get ready to leave," she called back, begging to bend water into her make shift pouch for the journey. "The sooner we leave, the better; we should aim to get to Ba Sing Se before sundown, at least. Besides; we have a lot to deal with once we've reached there."

"Jeez, I haven't even thought about all that," Sokka breathed, looking down absent-mindedly at his injured arm. "The Earth King must've sent an entire search party for us; not to mention the Fire Nation when they realize the Fire Lord is missing, as well as Katara, since she commands the Four Nations Army."

"And you've forgotten about the White Lotus," Toph added. "They're probably all out looking for us right now, once they've found out the Avatar and the son of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe has also disappeared."

"And your earthbending pupils will go also crazy, Toph," Aang remarked. "They love you so much more than a teacher; they're probably storming the Earth King's palace right now in rage."

She raised a brow, unsuccessfully hiding the pinkish hue that engulfed her cheeks. She opened her mouth to question him crudely; like what the hell he was doing mentioning the few days they spent together in Ba Sing Se before they were all separately kidnapped, but decided to keep her mouth shut, since she didn't want to draw any attention to either of them than there already was.

"I'm...gonna go help Katara," Zuko said casually, after his eyes lingered on her bending the plants back into water. He started to walk briskly away from the three, but was cut off by Sokka stopping in front of him with a scowl.

"No, you don't," Sokka corrected. "There's no way you can help her anyway; Katara is one of the best waterbenders to ever exist. I think she'll be fine. Besides, you're a firebender. If anything, getting water would be made even more difficult in your presence, since you'd just flame it all up! Or even..._distract_ her."

"But-" Zuko tried exasperatedly.

"I don't want to hear it!" Sokka cut off sharply. "Shrouded by those trees, I can't keep a good eye on either of you. Hence, you're staying put; keeping your testosterone, meaning _sperm_ filled body away from my baby sister."

Zuko rolled his eyes, sighing as he had no choice but to obey Sokka's rules as they both retreated back to the hideout to clean, Aang and Toph's laughs ringing in his ears. He didn't have to look up to know that Katara was scowling at Sokka, whilst rolling her eyes also; nevertheless, she grinned at him, in this certain way that made something stir in the base of his stomach wildly.

He was annoyingly sexy, Katara muttered inwardly, to which she knew she would never say out loud; with his broad, muscled body that was immensely strong as it was tall. As well as that charmingly messy hair and intense golden eyes that made her knees shake a little, and not to mention that perfect grin he was flashing at her, to which she swore her heart skipped a beat at.

Zuko winked at her just before he entered the hideout, making her giggle like a pathetic school girl, the water in her pouch swirling from said emotion; Sokka frowned at this, thwacking Zuko on the back of the head with his good arm just before they entered; leaving Katara still laughing outside as she heard Zuko swear crudely at the sharp pain.

* * *

Katara never really had good stamina; at least, not before she unfroze the Avatar from the iceberg just outside her tribe. She would tire after mediocre tasks that weren't even difficult when she was a child; but then again, that was before the world needed her to keep on going. That before her mother was stolen from her so cruelly. That was before how she felt mattered equally to that of others.

It was strange to think of those days when she didn't know who she was, or what she was meant to do; where her biggest achievement would probably be marrying the most handsome boy in her tribe and bearing his children whilst she was still in her teens herself. It made her grimace openly, thinking of living such a life; even more so at the thought of being expected to be satisfied with it.

It was only her fourth hour of gliding the massive slab of earth with a huge veil of water over the open area, and she could have probably gone on for another two, if Zuko and Sokka hadn't gotten so overprotective of her; she was practically manhandled into taking a break, whilst Zuko took over, pushing fire at his heels as they all hurtled through the huge land of nothing.

It was also strange looking at Sokka the way he was; obviously, he wouldn't live with his entire left arm covered in bandages and a sling made from makeshift vines and leaves for the rest of his life, but still, it made her stomach churn a little at the fact that she hadn't been there, that she hadn't been fast enough, that she hadn't anticipated-

And, well, she hadn't gotten much further than that thought, since Zuko would always read her face far too quickly, somehow understanding her train of thought; causing him to instantly shut her up with as he would hold her hand tightly, shaking his head with a stern look on his handsome face, like he was practically saying, 'Stop thinking like that.'

It didn't stop her stomach churning though; but Sokka was healing, both inside and out, and she took this as a gift from Agni in itself (since this was the extent of modern miracles), not able to hold back a smile as she watched his old self flood back into their group again. She basked in it silently; his laugh, his crude, rather un-funny jokes, his jabbering ideas that never seemed to end no matter how many years passed, no matter how many things tried to break him.

"It's because of you, you know," Zuko murmured into her ear, just as Aang took up his shift.

He wasn't looking at her as he sat next to her, his shoulder pressed against hers; not even as her head snapped up to him in surprise, in confusion. She could feel the firmness of his muscle against her, the smell of his musky incense that overwhelmed her slightly. His hands were far softer than what she had anticipated a firebender would possess; they were far gentler than that of what she had believed her entire life before hand, as a matter of fact.

Zuko continued, taking her confused silence as encouragement. "He's healing quickly because of you."

She frowned in confusion, like she always did. "Well, of course he is," she spoke slowly, lowering her voice since Toph and Sokka were falling asleep. "I'm the only healer in our group, the best in the world, in fact; there's no other way he would-"

"I didn't mean physically." Zuko cut off, to which Katara just frowned harder at.

Zuko rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he sighed exasperatedly, instantly dropping the matter; it confused him to think that she didn't know what she was capable of, despite...everything. But it was one of the things he liked so much about her; maybe more than just like, Zuko thought, eyeing Sokka's form to make sure he wouldn't notice the arm he was snaking around his sister's waist oh-so silently.

Zuko fell asleep first out of the two, resting his cheek on her head, while his words engraved itself into her mind.

* * *

Once Ba Sing Se had come into the horizon, Katara was on her shift once more; however, they didn't have to go that far before the walls opened and the guards flooded out in anticipation, the commotion filling their ears before they had even reached the great wall properly. Dai Li agents were helping them off of the huge slab of earth they traveled on, which made them all scowl, since that was the last thing they had needed help with that past week.

The rest of the next couple of days were just a flood of...something none of them really cared much for; the civilians (all over the world, for that matter), the Earth King, as well as the members of the White Lotus were all mortified at their disapearence, which was only expected. News had traveled quickly that they had vanished all over the world, along with the rebels that had secretly inhabited Ba Sing Se; it didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.

The Fire Nation was in such grief that Iroh had to remain present there in an attempt to calm them; the alliances were all wavering due to the possible death of the most reputable diplomats in the world, not to mention the Avatar. The world was literally ready to fall apart, then and there; with their saviours missing and the rebels so seemingly quiet for so long, and it made them all think about how much the world really needed them, and how unreachable a goal simple selfishness had become.

It was kind of unsettling, seeing their faces up all over the city in fliers; they looked so serious, so diplomatic, not like young adolescents at all, not like the children they actually were. There were people even crying, yelping in delight at their safety, Dai Li agents forced to fend off the civilians that crowded around the gang desperately; but they were all silenced at the sight of Sokka, at their blood smeared clothes, and at the absence of General Lee.

They were all immediately bathed and re-clothed upon arrival; the Earth King being far more than just hospitable by even providing their native clothing tailored especially. Katara and Zuko were sure to hurry this process, unlike Aang and Toph who stayed relatively glued to the hip; the two were forced to tend to Sokka, since they knew it was better they help him as opposed to servants who were strangers.

Like help him bathe properly, teach him (as well as help him) how to cloth himself, do up buttons and zips, style his hair accordingly, do up his shoes, even so much as just helping him stand up properly enough to balance himself so that he wouldn't fall over so easily. It was like teaching a child how to live again; he got frustrated easily in having to learn these things again, angry tears being swept away with a flick of Katara's wrist before they had a chance to fall.

The White Lotus and the Earth King were all shocked and silent, yet, not that shocked at the same time, as Katara was forced to be the one to deliver the news; they all looked exactly the same. Like they didn't quite understand what she had said, then, doing a double take at Katara and Zuko, just to make sure this wasn't some sadistic joke. They all wished that it was, in a sense; more so as Master Jeong Jeong spoke up quietly, slightly confused, which was so unlike him.

"Doesn't he have a wife?" he asked, his voice no louder than a murmur.

There was a pause, as Katara's stomach knotted at the mental image of Sheena's heavily pregnant form. "Yes," her voice was like dry ice. "And she is expecting; due in about a month now with their- _her_ first daughter, who I can already tell is an earthbender."

They were all silent at this, not wanting to mention Sokka's new medical disability, since it would only sullen the mood even further; what was there to say, anyway? Bumi laid a hand on Sokka's shoulder, cracking some joke none of them remembered; they all laughed, anyway, even though it wasn't really that funny. The silence that followed was so bitter, too bitter, far too bitter than what any of them would have thought it would've been like.

But Katara continued; she had to.

"The other rebel bases are probably weakened by the falling of this one, since I think it was one of the main headquarters for the revolt," she spoke firmly. "This isn't a matter we can take sitting down anymore; action has to be taken, regardless of the peace treaties. The rebels are much greater threat than we all initially thought."

"Are you insane?" Zuko growled, grabbing her wrist. "We've only just come back, somehow making it through this alive, and you want to take down the remaining bases already?"

She snatched her wrist from him violently, snarling. "This is the sole reason why I created the Four Nations, Zuko! To protect others from suffering at the hands of rebels, like Sokka and Lee! Surely you can understand that, being the leader of a nation!"

"All the more reason why you cannot go! You won't be safe there!" Zuko screamed at her now, the walls resonating from the sound, frightening even the White Lotus, as well as the Earth King.

"Zuko, this is my _job_," Katara hissed viciously. "You can't-"

"_You're_ not the one who had revive your dead body on 5!" Zuko bellowed loudly, silencing everything and everyone. His voice quietened, becoming deadly and venomous. "I am _not_ letting you go. I order that as Fire Lord."

There was utter silence in the room, and even Katara was at a loss for words, since she didn't quite know what to say; she could feel the eyes of the White Lotus and Earth King burn into her at Zuko's words as she scowled into his face for bringing up the subject. She explained, curtly, brashly, like it wasn't that big a deal; this only infuriated Zuko even further, and he could feel the fire ready to errupt from his nostrils.

"I was hit with a dagger on Level 3 of the rebel base; consequently, infected with Arkhurn," Katara spoke quietly, yet a little too plainly. She paused a little before continuing, mostly due to shame as she licked her lips. "Despite the bloodbending I was doing internally to stop it from spreading, I died on the final level. Zuko used his lightening as defribrilation in order to bring me back."

They were all dead silent, and nothing could be heard in the rather small meeting room, and Katara could feel Zuko grit his teeth as he glowered at her from behind. On the contrary, she could feel his unmistakably addictive warmth close to the back of her shoulder; coincidently, the very shoulder she had been stabbed in. The scar was a formidable gash; another item to her large collection of scars that coursed her body, to which she realized, no one even knew about still.

She spoke up again quickly, not liking this silence.

"And you being the Fire Lord holds no worthy order to my position, Zuko," she hissed furiously, wondering momentarily why she was trying to ignite an argument so persistantly. "I have a status in my own right; one that does not, and will not ever succumb to you!"

"I don't give a rabaroo shit!" Zuko growled viociously at her stepping in front of her now, the senior members wincing, some grinning. His golden eyes were gleaming, alive and burning, overwhelming her. He towered over her, his broad form strong and firmly muscled, and she held her breath, not wanting to be intoxicated by his scent yet again. "There's no way I'm going to let you get hurt, Katara. I _refuse_ to loose you again. I'm sorry, but you have no say in this."

She spluttered in fury. "_I _don't have a say?" she screamed, edging closer to him in rage. "You think you can just tell me what to do just because you're the Fire Lord?"

"In this case, yes," Zuko growled back at her, narrowing his eyes. "If that's what it takes to keep you safe."

"You have _no_ control over me!" Katara bellowed, water rising from the plant pots. They lined the room, meaning the entire room was now edged with water hovering in the air, bubbling violently as they all fused together from Katara's anger that was quickly spirally out of control.

Master Pakku shuffled uncomfortably at this; she had become ridiculously powerful, and this was far too evident. Katara wasn't moving the water inadvertantly; it reacted spontaneously to her, which was pretty dire, considering her strength. He had never felt such an overwhelming presense of a waterbender before, and unsettled him to the point of feverishness.

He didn't even want to think about how she could now also bloodbend at will, something he had never been able to do even in all of the full moons of his life. Never would he have thought that his young prodigy would harbor so much power; he was thankful, at least, that it had gone to someone as good natured as her. And he didn't have to turn to Jeong Jeong to notice the power in Zuko, either.

"Okay, you two, save the lovers' spat for the returning to the Fire Nation," Bumi eased, winding his arms around both their necks as he stepped in between them. "Besides, Pakku over there looks like he's gonna shit his pants in fright."

Pakku scolwed, telling himself he was too noble to retort, ignoring him completely.

"It's nice to see you two kids finally together; Agni knows how long we were all waiting around for you both," Pakku smiled mischieviously at the redenned pair. "After Katara decided to reside herself and her army within the Fire Nation, we all knew it would just be a matter of time."

"Erm...thank you?" Katara asked, coughing awkwardly.

"I mean, Aang's a nice kid and all, but with you two it just..._fits_, you know?" Bumi added, rubbing the thick, white stubble on his chin. "Hell, I could tell you had the hots for each other even when Zuko here was chasing you all over the world-"

"_Bumi_," Zuko hissed, warning him, his cheeks alarmingly red now. He heard Katara groan behind him in embarrassment. "Seriously, just-"

"What? It's true!" Bumi cried innocently. "I mean, come on, I heard about the whole, 'I'll save you from the pirates'; you can't possibly expect that not to mean anything, even if you were enemies at the time!"

"Leave the kids alone, all of you! Besides, I'm sure these two are looking for some much needed...alone time," Piandao commented with a grin. "Agni knows what this week has put them through."

"Yes, you two should...relieve some stress," Jeong Jeong offered at the two teens who were colouring rapidly. "And while you're at it, you could maybe get on the job of giving Pakku some step grand babies-"

"Katara is far too young for any of that business!" Pakku cut in sharply.

"Thank you, Pakku," Zuko breathed, a little exapserated as he too felt Katara bury her burning face into his back. His face felt uncomfortably hot, as he inwardly cursed at how innapropriate the seniors were being. "At least one person isn't completely-"

"She can't have children born out of wedlock, especially with the Fire Lord; she must marry beforehand," Pakku finished, resulting in the pair's widening as their faces burned. "They would receive too much bad press that would marr their reputable statuses. However, if they get married quickly, as in, as soon as they arrive in the Fire Nation, I'm sure Katara will be able to bear a child by-"

Sokka then burst in through the door with a fierce scowl, barging past the White Lotus members ruffling, shooting them glares as he did so. He winced at his still aching arm that was covered in thick bandages, but made his way to Katara all the same with just as much speed; grabbing her wrist and stepping in front of of her and Zuko fiercly, protectively, glaring up at the White Lotus members sharply.

"I think that's enough encouragement for my sister and her new boyfriend!" Sokka cried incredulously, his voice cracking in that way it always did when he was mad, as he dragged Katara out of the door briskly, Zuko following them both promptly, fearing that his face might explode from the heat of his blush if he stayed any longer, silently thanking Sokka for sparing them of such occurences.

* * *

Katara hugged Aang and Toph firmly, pressing her lips to their forehead. The moonlight was strong that night as they all stood at the entrance of the Earth King's palace at Agni knows what time in the night. A sharp sort of chilliness ran through their bodies, digging into their bones; however, Katara and Sokka were both accustomed to this, standing firmly, rigidly almost in the snow, whilst the rest shivered.

After not much deliberation, Aang decided to take a break from rebuilding the Air Temples once more, and reside with Toph in Ba Sing Se for a while. No one really questioned the decision, since they all had a lot to heal from anyway. There hadn't been a sighting of the rebels in the city, or even any attacks since they had returned, which took a long time for the group to digest as a good or bad thing.

"Let's not be strangers," Aang said gently into her shoulder, before pulling back slowly, breathing her in one more time. "I don't want to have to wait 'til the next Anniversary Ball to see you, Zuko and Sokka again."

"Visit us often," Katara said with a smile, pleading, almost. "Me and Zuko would come and see you, you know we would; but..."

"Don't sweat it, Sweetness," Toph said, smiling, her voice a little softer than usual. "We get it; running a nation and commanding an army doesn't exactly grant many holidays. Just don't expect us to give you a weeks notice when we drop by."

Katara smiled down at her, reaching out and pushing her bangs aside gently. With that, Zuko lowered his body to the two children also, hugging them close to him. Katara smiled as she watched them, seeing how large and stockily built his body was compared to Aang and Toph's small frames. The prospect of them, together, was still a little new and baffling to her; all she knew was, she slept better now, felt better, even more so when he was there.

"Take care, both of you." Zuko muttered into their heads.

He pulled away, smiling, but Aang's eyes fixated on his a little seriously. He was catching up in height; though, he was still wasn't as tall as Zuko, forcing his grey eyes to look up into his intensly. Zuko swallowed, but not from nervousness or fear; Katara wavered a little beside him at the sudden intensity, and Toph shuffled a little from the atmosphere. It needed saying, so Aang didn't bother trying to hide or stop it.

His eyes glanced to Katara, lingering a little at her sharp, electric blue eyes. His heart flopped a little messily; not that this wasn't new to him when she was around, but he didn't know if it was because he knew she would never look at him the way she did Zuko, or because of the apologetic guilt that overwhelmed her eyes as she stared back at him so worriedly, not quite expectantly.

Aang's eyes snapped to back Zuko's; he deduced that if she were to be with anyone other than him, it should be Zuko.

Hell, it was always Zuko, wasn't it?

"Take care of her." Aang said firmly, his eyes hardening from seriousness, which was so unlike him.

Katara's eyes narrowed at this, and she looked down; there was still this little knot in her stomach that would tug every time Aang walked passed to see Zuko's hand firmly grasping hers, still this little voice in her head telling her this was all wrong, still this little feeling she got whenever she thought about him and all she couldn't give him. She could feel Zuko straighten beside her.

"I will." Zuko replied, just as firmly, just as determined. His golden eyes were strikingly alight with sincerity.

Toph broke the silence with a sigh, leaning her arms up behind her head. She turned to where to she felt Sokka standing beside Katara, yawning at how late at night it was, before breaking into her signature smile. "Come on then, Bonehead; where's your goodbye?"

Sokka straightened, looking all 'serious' as he coughed authoritively (to which Katara scoffed at). He made his way to the pair; slipping his good arm around Toph's shoulder, and the remainder of his left arm on Aang's. The two raised a brow at him, and they all paused along with him as he looked down at them. He began to walk with them, away from the grinning Zuko and Katara.

They just about caught his words just as he went out of earshot.

"You see, you two," he started evenly, despite the looks on everyone's faces. "When you grow up and your body goes through changes, there are some..._feelings_ that come along with such..._changes-_"

Zuko and Katara laughed as they saw Aang and Toph redden and try to thrash out of Sokka's grip; but despite his new medical handicap, his physical strength still overwhelmed them, gripping onto the backs of their necks like a vice as he continued. Aang and Toph's faces started to redden as he continued, causing Zuko and Katara to laugh harder at them as they became more and more inaudible the further they walked away.

They then realized that they were alone, for the first time since they had kissed after escaping the base; Katara blushed from embarrassment, but decided not to aknowledge it as she coughed awkwardly, half turning to look up at Zuko. He too shuffled a litte hesitantly, trying to slow the immense speed of his heart that he was sure would be the death of him one day.

Her eyes were practically aglow once he met them with his; they were so electricly blue, so overwhelming compared to the softness of the night. The moon smiled down at them, at the their embarrassment. It was sort of unsettling, Katara started to understand, at how handsome he was; it threw her off completely. His scent, his features, his...everything. It sort of annoyed; actually it annoyed her a lot, since she still didn't know how to deal with it.

"Erm...I'm sorry," Katara started quietly, half laughing. "I'm not very good at this...relationship-y stuff."

"You and me both," Zuko assured her with a smile. She scolded her own buckling knees inwardly. "It's not like either of us have had the best history when it comes to relationships."

Katara huffed a little, folding her arms. "Maybe _you_ haven't," she corrected sternly. "You don't even have a history! You're only relationship was with Mai and that one girl in Ba Sing Se you sucked face with; _once_."

He scowled at her. "At least I didn't go out with some crazy freedom fighter, a twelve year old kid and have random makeout sessions with guys all over the world!" he retorted. "At least _my _relationships had sentiment!"

"Oh, bite me!" Katara cried aggressively. "I was 14! Who the hell wants sentiment at 14? Besides, don't diss Jet; besides the fact that he was initially the biggest prick to ever exist, he was actually pretty charming and a great boyfriend!"

"Oh please, you're just saying that 'cause he's dead!" Zuko snapped.

Katara growled. "I'm serious! He was awesome to be with at the time!" she spat back. "He was hot, too! Which is always a bonus! And before you, he was the best kiss I'd ever had, including all the other random-"

"So, _I'm _your best?" Zuko cut off with a sly grin.

Katara spluttered after the inital pause; she blinked rapidly, and she could feel her cheeks start to heat up again, which irritated her to no end. She hated that smug smirk on his face, since it made him look..._annoying__ly_. His eyes practically burned into her; he edged a little closer to her, and she could smell him already. For some reason, the memory of their kiss rushed into her mind again; she remembered how soft his lips were, how warm they were, how he knew exactly what he was doing, how soft his hair was between her fingers-

This made her blush harder, to which she frowned at.

"You're so full of it!" she hissed, but it didn't come out as loud as she had hoped, despite it's sharpness.

He edged even closer to her, that smug smirk still plastered to his face; and through pure reflex, she stepped back a little, before reminding herself that this was okay, that it was _allowed_ now. But it didn't change how uncomfortable she felt under his gaze; she felt his arms rise up slowly, placing his hands just above her hips before dragging her body back closer to his again.

Her body twitched at the contact, and she was still a little wary; she didn't know much about romance, but from what she was experiancing now, it was pretty annoying, despite the exhileration. It didn't make much sense; she could feel the warmth of Zuko's hands through his gloves, through her thick overcoat, through her tunic, through her skin. She deduced this to him being a firebender, but she didn't quite believe it.

"Your words, not mine." Zuko uttered in a low voice, his smirk still aparent.

He didn't understand how she wasn't freezing from this weather, born and raised in the Water Tribe or not; her hair was soft as it lightly brushed against his jacket that cloaked the arms at were wound around her loosely. He could smell her intoxicating scent as he traced his hands over the curve of her hips to her waist, lingering there for much longer than what was necessary.

She didn't really have much time to be hesitant, since she lost most of her inhibitions as she felt Zuko lower his face to hers slowly, far too slowly. Her heart was practically jumping out of her chest, and she didn't know how to respond as she felt the side of his nose brush against hers gently. It was cold from the lack of warmth in the atmosphere, but this was the last of her concern as she felt his arms engulf her, the swell of Zuko's muscles pressing around her body-

"AHEM!" Sokka cried, startling the pair. He stood in front of them, Aang and Toph having departed; his good hand was fixed onto his hip as he half glared, half scowled furiously at the couple before him, who darted away from each other like burning metal.

Zuko growled in frustration, whilst Katara rolled her eyes, their cheeks both inflamed.

Sokka narrowed his eyes at them both. "I think we need to have another talk."

"No! We really, _really_ don't!" Zuko cried.

"Well from what I've just seen, neither of you really understood the terms and conditions!" Sokka cried furiously.

"Sokka, _seriously_-" Katara groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead.

Sokka gestured to Zuko. "Come on, Fire Lord," he said sternly. "I think it's time for our 'Guy Talk'."

Zuko deadpanned in horror, but he didn't have much time to disagree; noting Sokka's remarkable strength as he placed a hand on his shoulder firmly, leading him away from the exasperated Katara that shook her head before sauntering back into the palace in defeat. She glanced back at Zuko, who looked back at her as if on que; she grinned at the face he pulled, begging her to save him, to which she just winked at.

* * *

Both Zuko and Katara waited at the docks anxiously as Suki came out from the ship; she looked like she hadn't slept in a good week which they knew was probably true. She looked a little older; a little more defined, a little more beautiful, but most of this was shielded by the worry that filled her as she approached the two that waited solemnly for her, pulling their bodies into a hug before Katara swallowed, speaking up.

She quite at the news, since like most people, she didn't quite know how to take it; she didn't cry, thank Agni, since being a warrior had set her up for dealing with many casualties since she was a child and had first started training. She just pressed her lips together, looking away for a few seconds; it took a long second for her to speak up again, to make eye contact with them both.

"He's resting, right now," Katara said quietly. "He's healing well, but there's the strain that the loss of limb puts on the rest of his body; it will take a while to adjust to it, to this new life. But with some rehabilitation, he'll be fine."

Suki paused, her smile tiny, almost nonexitant. "I know."

Katara swallowed again, guilt overwhelming her as she took in a deep breath before continuing. She could feel Zuko's hand slide up to the small of her back, and though the gesture was small, it helped her regain focus and plough through.

"I've already sent for Yagoda to go and meet in the Kioshi Islands; she'll probably arrive in a few weeks," Katara said evenly. She paused. "The next year will be hard for him; he'll have to learn how to do everything again. It will take time, and patience, and practice. He'll get agitated quickly, and frustrated easily; but you can't let him give up. You can't let him think for a second that this means he isn't the same anymore."

Suki nodded firmly. "Of course, Katara," she said slowly, quitely, getting up. "I'll go and see him now. I've been worried sick having not seen his face in so long; what with hearing about the whole rebel fiasco you were all caught up in."

Zuko smiled at her. "The feeling is mutual; he missed you a lot."

She offered them a final smile before some Dai Li agents lead her off to the palace where Sokka currently resided in. But just before leaving, she turned back to the pair, her smile so genuine, a little more like a smirk, even.

"And congratulations to both of you," Suki said, her grin widening at their now blushing faces. "I'm happy that you've finally let yourselves be with each other. You've both waited long enough."

"How did you..?" Katara asked, trailing off quietly.

She shrugged, still grinning. "I dunno; call it warrior's instinct," she offered. She paused. "And don't let Sokka give you hell about being a couple now. Trust me, he'll be at your throats until one of you leaves for the Spirit World."

"Yeah, that's Sokka..." Zuko muttered, but they were all smiling.

* * *

Sorry this took so long; believe it or not, it's a miracle I've updated this early!

Oh well, until next time! Leave a review, hot stuff ;)

- Yin


	22. Chapter 21

Hi :) I never know how to greet you, I apologize...

Lately, I don't know why, but I've been SO upset about how Zutara never happened :( Like, seriously, I'm SO sad! Even now! I just get depressed thinking about how much love went to waste and blah...seriously hoping to find out about a secret love child between the two in the next few seasons of Legend of Korra.

Haha, that would be so awesome and dramatic though, right?

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG

* * *

**Chapter 21 **

Katara was not called a master healer for no reason.

She was, as of now, the most distinguished, powerful and reputable healer in the world to have ever existed so far. However, this was not something she had set out to strive for; it was merely a consequence of travelling the world with the Avatar, and being forced to think outside of the box when your friends, or even yourself, are likely to die from wounds that some deem are too complex to heal.

In essence, that's all her status really meant to her; the inability to accept death. She wasn't good at it; never had been, was not now, and probably never would be. And she wasn't sorry for that; on the contrary, if it wasn't for such defiance, half the people she had ever met would've been dead long ago, herself included. A lot had changed since she was 14 and a half, learning basic healing from Yagoda of the Northen Water Tribe.

Being a healer wasn't easy; not even in the slightest. Forget about the whole watching people die in front of you, the way it physically drained you of everything, the amount of people that relied on you as a result of it. Healing required a lot more than just basic intelligence and the ability to remember a few fancy words; basically, you had to be a walking, human encyclopedia that was trained in the ability to execute that knowledge and put it into action.

For example; Katara still remembered her first day of learning healing. The first part of the anatomy they had started with (oddly enough) were lips. She knew the definition off by heart, as she did everything; lips are a visible organ at the mouth that are present with all humans and many animals. Both lips are soft, protruding, movable, and serve primarily for food intake, as a tactile sensory organ and for the articulation of speech. Lips are also used for portraying emotion that are key for social skills, that lead to the civilization of humans; thus leading to-

She could feel Zuko's hands run up the side of her tunic in the sweetest way, wrinkling the material horribly whilst doing so; his body pressed a little closer to her own petite one, forcing her back to come into contact with the cool metal wall of the steel ship they were currently residing on. She sort of relished in the cold contact, since she was feeling much too overheated anyway; not that she didn't mind.

His lips were so...ridiculously, unrealistically, unfairly soft and experienced as they moved down against her own; how the hell he had managed to get so good at this with just a couple of girlfriends was beyond her, as she ran her fingernails softly through his soft, yet thick ebony hair, across his scalp. She traced random circles at the base of his neck with the other hand, inadvertently humming into his lips as he softly bit her lower one-

There was a sharp knock at the door that made Zuko growl viciously into Katara's mouth before she parted them abruptly; she half laughed, since she didn't know what else to do as Zuko glared at the door, gritting his teeth, and partly because she was ridiculously out of breath. She could feel how swollen her lips were as she half darted to the side of the door that Zuko stomped over to; Agni forbid what the crew would do if they found her in the Fire Lord's bedroom.

Zuko snatched the huge metal door open, enraged and livid as he glowered down murderously at the crew member who stood at the other side; he gulped as flamed erupted from Zuko's nose; alive and orange and violent, making him shiver uncontrollably.

"_What_?" Zuko spat coldly at him, his glare far colder.

The crew member trembled with fear as he swallowed the lump in his throat. "E-Err, I'm sorry to disturb you, my Lord," he started, trying to at least sound calm. "But we were wondering if you knew where Lady Katara would be; we need her urgently, and we've looked all over the ship and-"

"I'm here!" Katara called, smiling nervously as she appeared quickly next to the livid Zuko. "I was just, err...discussing with Fire Lord Zuko about the matters regarding the other rebels that reside in the Earth Kingdom Colonies. I'm sorry if I caused you of inconvenience."

Zuko exhaled sharply again, raging as he folded his arms sharply over his broad chest; Katara elbowed him sharply at this, to which he winced at before looking away, counting to ten. She momentarily tried to fix her ridiculously messy hair, smoothing out her tunic also (though, this didn't help much) in an attempt to straighten her appearance somewhat (and cover any tracks that Zuko most definitely left).

"I'm sorry, but me and Lady Katara are very busy at the moment," Zuko spat harshly. "You'll have to come back some other time."

"_Zuko_," Katara hissed through gritted teeth, shooting him a murderous look.

"But-" the crew member started, but didn't have time to finish, since the door was slammed in his face.

He approached her again, to which Katara punched his shoulder swiftly, and maybe a little too hard, since he jumped and cried out in pain, clutching his shoulder as he looked at her incredulously. He half smirked, since her hair was just as disheveled as her clothes, practically standing on end as she glared up at him whilst similaneously trying to tame it. Her electric eyes were a little frantic as she pushed passed his grinning form roughly, opening the door swiftly.

"Sorry about that," she apologized to the confused crew member with a nervous laugh. "Fire Lord Zuko is a little...on edge."

"I totally understand, my Lady," the crew member spoke solemnly, bowing to her a little. "You mean about with everything you have endured this week with the kidnapping, the media and the loss of General Lee and the condition of Master Sokka, right?"

"Y-Yeah, that's totally why," Katara stuttered hesitantly, glancing back at the still irritated Zuko; glaring at his smug smirk. "How can I help you?"

"The engine of the ship has frozen severely, my Lady," the crew member spoke, wary of Zuko's still present scowl. "The water around us has also settled to ice, freezing the bottom of the ship along with it; we've been at a stand still for a good two hours now."

"Agni forbid we arrive late at the Fire Nation; they'd probably freak out at our absence after what's happened this week," Katara sighed. "I'll be right there."

"Mm, maybe not _right_ there," Zuko weighed in with a smirk, which grew wider with Katara's blush. He came close behind her, so that she could feel his chest brush against her back as he pushed the metal door shut gently after offering a fake smile.

Katara glared up at him just as the door fit into the frame, practically growling as she watched his smug grin grow wider; his hair fell messily over his golden eyes, the fabric of his casual black over-tunic soft against her bare arms as he attempted to engulf her in his yet again. She laid a hand firmly on his broad chest, pushing him away fiercely, her scowl refusing to falter, even as Zuko flashed a charmingly handsome grin at her.

"What the hell, Zuko!" she cried. "There was no need to be such an asshole!"

He rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his muscled chest. "Sorry, but I don't like being..._ interrupted_."

She scoffed loudly, folding her arms also, but couldn't keep the blush from raging on her cheeks after initially stiffening at his words. There was a pause, and she could feel his eyes on her again, and this only exasperated her more as she gave up and headed for the door briskly. But Zuko stepped in front of her, matching her intense frown with a playful grin as he continued to step in her way, even as she tried to walk pass him.

"_Move_, Fire Lord!" Katara bellowed eventually, all patience leaving her as she growled up at him.

He was fast, moving down so close to her ear, so quickly, she barely had time to register his deep voice breathing onto the side of her ear. His warm scent surrounded her, rendering her useless as her body succumbed to it, sagging against him a little since she was thrown a little off balance by his words.

"Make me." he stated, and she could hear him smirking.

Zuko found it hard not to erupt into laughter, since he could practically feel the heat radiating off of her burning cheeks; he felt rather proud of himself, his primitive masculine pride filling him momentarily. But this was instantly silence when he felt Katara's warm, smooth lips brush against his jaw, run down his neck like a soft breeze; her teeth grazed over his pale, flawless skin and he shivered at the contact, his arms moving at their own accord as they began to fasten around her slowly, almost instantly.

He stiffened as he felt her lips curve into a smirk against his delicate skin briskly, and barely had time to steady himself as she grabbed his shoulders and threw his huge body behind her; Zuko staggered, barely having time to look up and find her in the open doorway. Her smirk was far too smug, but the wink she threw at him made his heart pound all the same. Before he had a chance to smile properly, she was already gone, and he could hear her laugh from the corridor as he raced after her, laughing just as loudly himself.

* * *

Zuko yawned as he emerged from the bathroom, towel drying his wet, black hair carelessly; his shorts stuck uncomfortably to his legs that were still damp from the water he had bathed in, making him shuffle a little uncomfortably as walked over to his balcony, opening the door to allow the steam to leave the room. He didn't bother putting on a shirt, since the Fire Nation humidity had made its way into the atmosphere again as they approached it.

He sort of wished he was a waterebender, at that second, since he didn't have the patience to wait for his hair to air dry; he sighed, stretching his swollen, taught muscles momentarily, before shaking his roughly, making the water spew out like a sprinkler. As if on que, Katara burst into the room, wide eyed and panting heavily as she shut the door quietly behind her.

Zuko raised his brow as he watched her press her ear against the door intently, not saying a word. Her long, curly hair cascaded over her back in goddess-like manner, the arch of her back and the swift curve of her hips far more prominent to Zuko now than it had been before. He grin was small as his eyes fell over her upper arm that was still covered in his bracelet that he had given her months ago; it complemented her mocha skin perfectly, unrealistically so.

His small grin turned more into a smirk now; she was _his_. Thank Agni, she was finally _his_; Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, known for her effortless beauty and inconcievable power. He couldn't help smirking like an idiot now as he watched her intently fixate her eyes in a certain spot of the room as she concentrated; they were alive and electric, piercingly dangerous to glance at (having learned from experience). It felt good to know those eyes only looked at him; so much so his stomach constricted at the giddiness that never quite left him at the thought of her.

"Okay, I think they're gone," Katara whispered, though, not moving from her position of her ear pressed against the door. "I think the crew are suspicious of us; I heard them talking about, 'smelling something fishy about Fire Lord Zuko and Lady Katara'."

Zuko's smirk hurt his cheeks from its broadness. "Hmm, 'Fire Lord Zuko and Lady Katara'. Sounds good, doesn't it?" he commented, stepping towards her playfully (to which Katara was oblivious of, with her ear still attached to the door). "Sounds like they were _made_ for each other; you know, fire and water, opposites attract, and that 'balancing' shit-"

"Shut _up_!" Katara hissed snappily, pressing closer to the door. "I'm trying to listen!"

"I thought you said they were gone?" Zuko asked, raising a brow again.

"I'm sensing whereabouts their bodies are," Katara hissed again. "Just being cautious, Fire Lord."

"You mean paranoid, Lady Katara." Zuko murmured with a smirk as he edged closer to her.

He caught her wrist (that was still planted onto the door) in a gentle grasp, earning a frown from the young master; but before she could protest, he whirled her round with his immense strength, steadying her hips with his strong hands as she composed herself from her temporarily flustered state. His hands moved slowly, at a dragging pace to the dip in her back, rising up expertly against the arch of it.

Katara swallowed, silencing the shivers that ran throughout her body uncontrollably; her eyes glanced to his bare chest that was advancing towards her. She cleared her throat shakily, and she actually had to use every drop of strength within her to pull her eyes _away _and focus on Zuko's _face_. But as soon as she did, she turned to jelly again; his eyes ceasing all thought within her instantly, the feel of his hands sliding back down to her hips slowly exhilarating her.

"So what if they are suspicious?" Zuko breathed into her ear. "They sort of have a right to be."

His breath was against the skin of her ear, his lips brushing over the top of her cartilage, burning her senses; she couldn't help but trail her hands over his shoulders. They were broad and firm with the swell of toned muscle; she dragged her hands lighting (maybe not so lightly) down his biceps, relishing in their strength, in the intense security it provided, and it's damn _sexiness_.

"Err..." Katara breathed pathetically.

She was completely lost her words, lost all thought apart from that fact that they were dangerously close (and Zuko smelled _amazing_); she shook her head violently, clearing her throat sharply as she pushed Zuko away from her body with surprising strength. His smug smirk at her temporary paralysis made her frown harder, which only made his smirk grow wider. Nevertheless, she compose herself; smoothing out her navy tunic that he had sufficiently crumpled.

"That's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about," Katara started evenly, her eyes taking advantage of him, forcing him to focus on what she said. "I think that for the time being, we should refrain from telling everyone back in the Fire Nation about..._us_."

Zuko blinked in confusion. "Why?" he asked simply, since he didn't have much else to ask.

Katara faltered, licking her lips as she looked away from him. "I just don't think it's the right time, Zuko," she said quietly, forcing herself to look at him. "What with everyone so enraged about the kidnapping, Sokka's current state and...Lee."

Zuko finally understood, his words tentative. "Does Sheena know?"

After a pause, Katara shook her head. "I didn't want her to find out through strangers; I thought it should at least come from me, since he was more than just a subordinate to us, after all," she said slowly. "I don't think it's fair to be showered with glee over us, when she's mourning for her and their unborn child."

"I totally understand, Katara," Zuko assured, smiling gently as he brushed some hair behind her ear. His smile weakened at the thought of Sheena. "So, she really has no idea?"

Katara swallowed, biting her lower lip. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "I mean, she must've heard the rumors; the news is all over the world...but not even your Uncle has been properly briefed yet. He doesn't even have idea about what happened to Sokka; or to me, for that matter. I don't really know what to expect."

Zuko exhaled deeply as he watched her, throwing caution to the wind as he just brought her body to his half bare one; he pressed his lips to the top of her head, closing his eyes as he breathed her in. Katara was petite against his broad frame, but this meant that his chin rested nicely on the top of her head. She pressed her forehead to Zuko's bare chest, sighing also. Her ear was just next to his heart, and she could feel it beating steadily, comfortingly; he was ridiculously warm, but she didn't complain; taking advantage of her moment to trail her hand down his defined abs, suppressing a grin.

Zuko smirked.

"Really, Lady Katara?" he judged playfully. "Touching up the Fire Lord in his own nation? Is that really how you wanna play this game?"

She could feel the curve of a smirk on her lips as they pressed against the base of his throat, weakening him instantly. Mai had probably kissed him 1001 times when they were together; but he had been with Katara for not even a week and it felt more alive and electric than it ever had with her. Because of this, he was a little new to the intensity; to Katara's ability to constantly keep things interesting, constantly keeping him wanting more, keeping him completely at her mercy.

"What game?" she breathed into the side of his neck, and he could still feel her smirking against his skin.

He could feel her hands slide up his bare arms slowly, practically at a glacial pace, according to him; they found their way to the back of his neck, resting their lightly before running through his messy, black hair softly. Zuko hummed unintentionally, closing his eyes as he pulled her against him, effectively closing all visible space in between them. He turned his head so that the tip of his nose brushed against the high point of her cheek, pressing his lips lightly to the corner of her mouth to draw her attention to him completely.

His lips were warm against the side of her lips, full and thick, also, more so than what she would expect of a man's; however, Katara didn't complain, as she allowed Zuko to trail feathery kisses along her jaw, all the way to the bottom of her ear, where her pressure point lied. She dug her fingers into his scalp gently, enjoying the attention greatly. But before she knew it, his lips were back up close to hers again; she pulled away from him when they were just less that a millimeter away from each other, laughing lightly as she pulled herself out of his arms, laughing louder at Zuko's whining protests and the grip he had on her hips.

"We're docking soon," Katara stated with a grin. "You better start packing and prepare yourself for all the chaos that is certainly waiting for us."

"Five more minutes," Zuko hissed, holding her body in place, refusing to let go of her hips. He lowered his lips down to the curve of her jaw, but Katara shot back, giggling as she pulled herself out of his grasp easily, bolting to the doorway before he could stop her.

"Get started, Fire Lord!" she called from the hallway in a sing-song voice.

* * *

If either of them had learnt anything whilst docking into the Fire Nation port, it's that 'chaos' was no longer a suitable word to describe the hubbub that awaited them; it was more like, 'catastrophic disaster of the century', including the 100 year war. Everyone, mostly the press, were at the pair like wildfire from the second they stepped foot on the port; it took a long while for the two to sift through the huge crowd, having to be escorted by triple the amount of guards back to the mansion because of the massive commotion.

They both sighed in relief once they had reached the mansion; mostly because they couldn't believe they had reached there safely. They glanced back at the large gates and swarming crowd of people overflowing behind it, as well as the amount of guards there were to try to fend off the press. Katara swallowed as she looked back, feeling her stomach churn at the thought of Sheena. Nevertheless, she faced forward, straightening herself as she proceeded to join Zuko as they walked up the small flight of elaborate stairs into the mansion.

Thankfully, then, the commotion was more concentrated; some long term servants, of which had cared for Zuko as a child, greeted them eagerly, a few tears of relief being shed in the process. Iroh also awaited them; his golden eyes were soft and wise as he pulled his nephew and Katara into a firm hug simultaneously before words could be spoken; the two gladly obliged, returning his embrace fiercely, before pulling away and offering meek smiles.

"You have no idea how glad I am you two are alright," Iroh started with a smile. "When I found out you both, General Lee and the rest of Avatar Aang's friend's disappeared I could barely sleep."

"Thank you for taking over whilst I was away, Uncle," Zuko replied with a small grin. "I have no idea how things would've gone if someone hadn't been there to control the press. I can't believe how quickly the news spread; it's like wildfire."

"You have no idea," Iroh assured. "The entire world was in complete shambles at all of your disappearances; the fact that this happened a few months after the one year anniversary ball didn't help either. I suspect that this kidnapping had been planned by the rebels for a while now."

"You're definitely right; it's too bad we didn't perceive it sooner," Katara said with furrowed brows. "A lot of damage control has to be done; maybe after that we can start discussing deploying my army out to the Earth Kingdom Colonies to take down the remaining rebel revolts. It's not a matter we can leave alone more, considering now that we know how much damage can ensue because of them."

Zuko frowned at this, since he thought they had had this argument back at Ba Sing Se in the Earth King's palace; however, he kept his mouth shut until a more suitable time when they could discuss the matter further in more civilized and rational manner; meaning, sneaking out into the mansion gardens so that noone could hear them screaming at the top of their lungs when they would inevitably break out in another argument.

"I understand your eagerness to prevent the rebels from spreading any further harm, Lady Katara," Iroh agreed with a gentle smile. "It's one of the many qualities that have gotten you to this point in your life. But I'm afraid such matters will have to wait for a few months."

"What are you talking about?" Katara asked, scowling in confusion. "We can't just wait around for something bad to happen in order to act against it; we've learnt our lesson from what happened in Ba Sing Se. I won't allow any other lives to be lost through cautiousness anymore."

"I know, I know; jeez, you're just as hot headed as my nephew!" Iroh commented with a laugh, whilst the pair scowled in front of him (to which he laughed harder at). "But I'm afraid there are other matters that require our attention first."

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked suspiciously, not liking the sound of his Uncle's words.

"Well, a banquet is being thrown in two months to celebrate your safe return; as well as in celebration of defeating the rebel headquarters," Iroh explained. He turned to Katara slowly, his smile fading, worry replacing it. "It is also to honor those who have suffered from the kidnapping; now, Katara, I have not been briefed properly, but is it true? About what happened to yourself, your brother, and General Lee?"

Katara turned away, breaking the eye contact as her blue eyes found temporary sanctuary in the marble floor whilst she nodded. She was a little afraid to blink, since Lee's bloodied body, kneeling with three spears protruding spears sticking out of his chest had recently joined her mother in her nightmares. It made attempting to fall asleep unbearable; but not quite as much as waking up screaming, far louder than she had before.

"I need to see Sheena," Katara said immediately, then, since there was no time to waste mourning, regretting. "Has she heard the rumors?"

Iroh opened his mouth to answer, but was closed it quite quickly, since there wasn't much to say, anyway. He wasn't stupid; he could see the way his nephew would watch Katara intensely; as if studying her, reacting to every move she made with small gestures that only his Uncle could fully pick up on. He had watched Zuko be with that Mai girl for almost a year, but never had been anywhere this infatuated with her; it was a look he recognized, since he himself used to the look at Lu Ten's mother in such a way.

Katara continued to frown, and Iroh continued to watch Zuko watch her; his golden eyes were filled with a worry he had never seen before. A type of worry he suspected had filled him a lot the past week. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his nephew's fingers touch the young master waterbender's tentatively; to which she responded to, just barely, curling her own fingers around his rather messily, their skin colours contrasting quite beautifully. He inwardly smiled, since he knew it wasn't the time for smiles to surface themselves just yet; maybe not everything was lost in Ba Sing Se, after all.

Maybe something had been found.

"I'm going to go see her." Katara stated abruptly, throwing one last weak smile at Iroh before turning.

Zuko's fingers clasped hers firmly, rather messily.

"Let me come with you," he offered softly, which surprised not just his Uncle, but also the guards that surrounded them; 'gentle' was not exactly the most common way to describe the Fire Lord, especially the current Fire Lord Zuko. "I want to see her, too."

Katara's blue fixated on him; in a way it never did on Avatar Aang, Iroh noted. She bit her lip before nodding timidly, not saying anything else as they departed; they walked briskly; like adults, like busy diplomats, with the strength of warriors. They should've been running; like careless children, like young and inexperienced adolescents, like the breeze in Spring. However, their fingers were still tangled together, clutching onto each other, not quite holding hands, so maybe not all hope was lost as of yet.

If it wasn't for the reason of their quick departure, Iroh would've grinned.

* * *

Her hands were shaking uncontrollably as they approached the room where the guards told them that Sheena resided in, waiting for them. This was ridiculous; she had broken bad news to countless people all her life. She was insanely good at it, too, mostly because of the practice. But this was totally, for some reason, a reason Katara couldn't quite define properly.

She paused at the door, feeling Zuko's large shoulder brush against her back as encouragement before inhaling sharply and entering. Sheena sat there in the middle of the study, snapping her head up sharply as Zuko and Katara stood at the doorway tentatively. Her stomach protruded from her body heavily under her forest green robes, which made it hard for her to sit up, forcing the pair to go to her assistance in order to help her stand.

Her hair was as straight and perfectly chestnut brown as it was the night they had met at the ball months ago; she hugged Zuko first. He tried to smile, but it was weak as he felt her bulging stomach press against him briefly. For a second, he could feel the fetus kicking; it alarmed him, yet exhilarated him at the same as he drew away sharply from her, wide eyed as he stared down at her stomach.

Sheena smiled, but it was weak as she laid a hand on her large stomach. "It seems she likes you, Fire Lord." she said softly, trying to laugh.

She then hugged Katara, and lasted a long while; much longer than it should have, and they all knew this. Katara closed her eyes heavily as she felt Sheena's huge abdomen press against her body. She could sense the vessel that resided within her; completely healthy and strong. Ridiculously strong, actually; abnormally strong. Unlike a normal fetus of around this time...

Katara decided not to dwell on this, since being too healthy was never a concerning matter. She tried to smile, but it came out weak and timid and shameful and guilt ridden. Sheena tried to grin, also, but it resulted similarly. The three were quiet for a while, just standing in a small huddle in the middle of the large study, a soft breeze flowing in from the open window. Sheena looked down at her insanely swollen stomach; her left arm wrapped around the bump loosely, her right arm resting on top of it protectively; she wasn't smiling, misty grey eyes a little anxious and unwilling.

The length of the pause was getting pretty ridiculous as of now; but no one tried acted against it. They never wanted it to end, because they never wanted to confirm. They didn't want to see the look in her eye. They didn't want to hear the tears, hear the sobs, hear her heart breaking. Sheena didn't object either; starting to gently stroke her huge stomach affectionately, absent mindedly.

She didn't want to look at them, but she forced herself to; her sweet, grey eyes fixated on Katara's electric blue ones.

"Is it true?" she half mouthed; she wasn't that audible, the sound having not escaped her lips properly.

But this was best, because it meant neither of them would have to hear the crack in her voice that was inevitably present, having been heard or not; Katara felt a swelling in her chest, like dull, dull fire. It hurt, and it hurt a lot, too; her head drooped down as her eyes unintentionally fell to Sheena's protruding stomach, guilt overwhelming to the point where she could almost taste the bitter vomit that resided within her throat.

"I'm sorry." Katara tried to say, but ended up mouthing the words instead, sound escaping her properly, either.

They were silent again, Sheena's head dropping back down to her stomach. Zuko didn't know quite what to do, since all he could hear in his head was Lee preaching to him about Katara on the ship to Ba Sing Se at Agni knows what time at night, Lee laughing with his pregnant wife at the ball, Lee smiling at Katara in a way only Sokka managed to match, Lee slow dancing with his wife later at the ball, on the balcony, his hands resting either side of her not-so-large-yet-definitely-swollen stomach, with that swell of tangled love and pride in his emerald green eyes.

Emotion suddenly found the heavily pregnant woman, her face crumpling suddenly as she started to sniff uncontrollably down at the life within her; tears dropped onto the top of her belly like rain, staining her forest green dress a little. She collapsed back down in the chair again as she began to sob, Zuko and Katara kneeling down and winding their arms around her almost instantly.

She cried and cried and cried and cried; every tear hurt, every sniff, every breath of anguish. Katara pressed her cheek into Sheena's hair, cursing inwardly because she smelt a little like Lee; Zuko held the hand Sheena glued on top of her huge stomach, stroking her back in light circles as she continued to drench her dress with tears. They tried not to look at each other; tried rather hard, actually.

Suddenly, Sheena doubled over, hissing loudly as she clutched her stomach. The young masters sprang back, alarmed as they watched her shudder in pain; it took less than a moment for Katara's body to act through reflex. She spun her hands in the air expertly, drawing a sufficient, impressive amount of water from it. She laid it on Sheena's stomach, her brain spewing medical jargon through pure reflex.

It proved redundant, though, as water ran down Sheena's leg profusely onto the richly carpeted floor.

"Sheena, your water broke!" Katara cried, blue eyes alive and ready.

"No! My due date isn't for another few weeks!" Sheena managed to get out through the pained groans.

"We can't tell the baby to wait," Zuko said softly. He turned to Katara. "We should take her to the nurse's room. That would be the best place for delivery."

Katara nodded, before her and Zuko helped her up and out of the chair gently. Sheena panted through the pain of her contraction, clutching her large stomach as the two lead her out of the room carefully. The servants in the hallway all watched them intensely, the women especially helping the adolescents care for Sheena as they took her slowly to the medical room.

"Please, K-Katara," Sheena winced between the pain. "I'd rather have you deliver my baby than a stranger, would you please-"

"Don't be ridiculous, Sheena," Katara scolded softly, pushing some hair away from her perspiring face. "Of course I'll deliver your child. You'll have nothing to worry about whilst I am here, I promise."

Sheena smiled momentarily, before another contraction surged through her body; she cried out, doubling over as Zuko set her down on the large bed carefully. She gripped onto the hand he offered her, and Zuko winced as he felt her nails dig into the somewhat sensitive flesh. Sheena panted loudly as Katara soothed her stomach with some water she pressed against her lower abdomen. She glanced at Zuko, scoffing loudly at the look on his face; his knuckles cracked loudly, making Zuko whimper openly, resulting in Katara having to use all of her strength to stop from laughing.

The nurses fled into action once Sheena's contraction subsided, giving Zuko and Katara a chance to change into better suited clothing, since chances were, the labour would last for a while. They both walked out of the room quickly, since they had to act fast; but as they turned the corner, out of earshot of the medical room, Zuko finally let out his cries of pain, clutching his hand as they jogged to their individual rooms whilst Katara sniggered at him.

"Katara, I seriously think she broke my hand," Zuko said alarmingly, clutching the wrist of his throbbing red hand. Katara laughed loudly at this, to which he glared at her for. "I'm serious, Katara! You have to check it for me!"

"Stop being such a baby!" Katara cried, still laughing. "It's not broken, Zuko!"

"How would you know? You haven't even looked!" Zuko spat.

Katara rolled her eyes, grabbing his wrist roughly, to which Zuko protested against profusely. She checked his hand lazily, just to satisfy him; adding a few jabs and poked here and there to make her analysis look a little more realistic. She tried not to snicker at the look on his face, but she couldn't; his brow was furrowed from the pain, his eyes resting on her in a slight glare as she inspected him so carelessly.

She let go of his wrist profusely. "It's fine," she said plainly, grinning up at Zuko's still wincing face. "It's just a muscle bruise! I mean, for Agni's sake, you were hit with Azula's _lightening _and you didn't whine once!"

"I'm not _whining_; Fire Lord's don't _w__hine," _Zuko snapped, unable to withold a small smile. "And that was different; I did that to save you."

Katara scoffed. "No, you did it 'cause you fancied me!" she cried with a smirk.

Zuko grinned, edging closer to her. "Damn, I guess you got me," he murmured, forgetting about his hand as he leaned his lips closer to her ear. "But don't pretend you weren't sneaking a peek every time I taught Aang firebending topless."

Katara's smirk grew wider. "Why, Fire Lord Zuko, a Lady like me would never do such a thing!"

They both smirked for a few seconds, before realizing they were loosing time, standing in the hallway, talking so idly. They both rushed to their rooms promptly to change and prepare for Sheena's delivery. Zuko paused before entering his bedroom, calling out to Katara just as she entered hers.

"But it's okay, we're even anyways." Zuko called to her, and she could hear him smirk.

She raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

There was a pause before he answered, and a part of her knew he was laughing. "All I'm saying is, it was rather pleasant watching you practice your waterbending in only your under-wrappings at night."

Katara's cheeks flared, scanning the hallway for servants before screaming back.

"ZUKO!" she bellowed across the hall in indignation, and she could hear him laughing as he shut his bedroom door.

* * *

Sheena screamed loudly, writhing in agony against the off white sheets. Perspiration made her skin glisten, her grey eyes screaming and alive as she tried her hardest to breathe through the pain. Zuko sat beside her, utterly terrified whilst also in pain himself as he held onto Sheena's hand as she squeezed the light out of it. Katara examined her carefully, using water to the soothe the internal pain by resting her glowing hands over Sheena's lower abdomen.

"You're doing great, Sheena," Katara encouraged with a smile, the nurses watching her with complete admiration at the back of the room. "You're baby is coming along just fine."

"How many centremeters has she dilated?" one of the nurses asked in a hushed tone.

"About three." Katara answered evenly.

Sheena contracted again, and Zuko's hand cracked further. She groaned loudly, fumbling around on the bed with her face crumpled in agony; Zuko mimicked her actions similarly, stamping his feet rapidly on the ground with his face scrunched in pain as he silently said goodbye to his hand.

"_Three_?" he cried, golden eyes raging, his face red from pain. "_I've _dilated three!" _  
_

"It's her first pregnancy, _Fire Lord_, so it'll take a while for things to move along! Besides, you're not the one who has to push an entire human out of your body!" Katara sighed sharply, glaring at him. "Be more supportive, you moron!"

He glared back at her, opening his mouth to make a spiteful remark, but deciding against it, since he didn't want to upset (or anger) Sheena; she was vulnerable enough as it was. They could both hear the nurses sniggering as they watched the two bicker for the fourth hour now. The trainee nurses especially showed a keen interest in Zuko; stealing glances over to his stocky (yet whimpering) whenever Katara didn't bark orders at them a little harshly, since she wasn't blind to it.

All of the nurses, however, were rather taken aback in the way in which Katara spoke to him so brashly and disrespectfully; then again, Zuko and Katara didn't expect much else, since they lived in a time when Ozai and his oppression ruled.

Katara could already feel the fatigue sneaking up on her; it started in her back, like it always did. That low hum that would slowly manifest until you could barely make one move without hissing in agony. She inhaled deeply, focusing hard on trying to concentrate on numbing Sheena's pain as best she could; it wasn't like she was in the Water Tribe, inexperienced and helpless anymore.

Fourth hour or not, she ploughed through.

"Lady Katara," she heard one of the older dresses say behind her. Katara thought for a second it might've been her grandmother, but instantly shook the thought out of her head as the nurse rested a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "Maybe you and Fire Lord Zuko should take a small break."

Katara frowned, yet, not removing her eyes from concentration. "No, I should stay continue to numb Sheena to whatever extent I can," Katara answered, trying to sound pleasant whilst ignoring her groaning neck. "I won't leave her."

She didn't have to look back to know the nurse was smiling down at her. "I admire your compassion and kindness, my Lady, but she is dilating at a slow pace, so you won't miss anything whilst resting your head for a few hours," the nurse started softly, lowering her voice. "Besides, I think Fire Lord Zuko needs a break more than anyone."

Katara looked up at Zuko, watching him as he attempted to comfort a very irritated Sheena, clutching his badly bruised hand close to his chest, nursing it ineffectively, at least until the next contraction. Katara couldn't help but grin at this; at least he was a _supportive_ moron. She offered a small smile to the nurse, before standing up slowly, hissing as she focused some blood to the back of her aching neck.

"Sheena, would you mind if me and Zuko took a little break?" Katara asked, her smile soft and gentle.

Sheena stroked her large stomach soothingly, her smile a little weak. "Of course, Lady Katara! You and Fire Lord Zuko have been so kind to me; you deserve a break," she said in a gently voice. "Besides, this'll take a while. I'm gonna try and catch up on some sleep myself; Agni knows what time it is right now."

"What do you mean?" Katara questioned, turning her attention to the window. She winced at the crescent moon. "Oh."

"Come on then, you kids!" the elderly nurse announced, fleeing Zuko off of his stool, shooing them both out of the room, grinning widly. "You being kids and all...well, I guess you should at least _try _to get some sleep."

Zuko's eyes widened horribly, whilst Katara gaped at the nurse; both being tomato red in the face.

"W-We're not-" Katara stuttered. "He's not my-"

"_She's_ not my-" Zuko gestured to Katara nervously.

The elderly nurse scoffed. "Oh _sure,_" she scoffed. She paused for a second, reaching back and shoving a small neatly wrapped parcel into Zuko's hands discreetly, the smell of strange herbs filling their airways. "And don't forget to use this! I know that Fire Lord Zuko here is very handsome, and Lady Katara is known for her beauty over the world, but we wouldn't want little firebending or waterbending children born out of wedlock, would we?"

You know that type of embarrassed you feel when your stomach just collapses in on itself and your face is ready to explode? Times that by around 100, and that is about a quarter of the feeling that was present in the young couple as of now. Zuko could swear his cheeks were on fire as he held the small package nervously in his hand, his golden eyes wide as all breath escaped him.

Katara gaped, feeling her face inflaming instantly; she turned away, much like Zuko did, averting her gaze from the grinning nurse, completely and utterly mortified. She eventually pressed her hand to her forhead and over her eyes as Zuko coughed awkwardly next to her, shuffling from foot to foot.

"Oh, Agni, kill me now..." Katara murmured.

"The Spirits hate me." Zuko whispered.

The elder nurse just laughed loudly. "Goodnight, kiddies! Enjoy your evening," she said in a low voice, her brows dancing "...If you know what I-"

"GOODNIGHT!" Zuko and Katara both screamed, practically running away from the medical room.

* * *

They didn't say anything for a long time, embarrassment still engulfing them as they roamed the halls of the mansion to their bedroom in the middle of the night. The silence was rather awkward and uncomfortable, especially for Zuko, since he was still holding onto the package partly because he didn't know what else to do with it, fearing the servants or officials would find it if he tried to hide it or throw it away.

The silence became rather unbearable, until Zuko spoke up eventually, being as impatient as he was.

"Forget about what the nurse said; she was just...looking out for us," he said abruptly, forgetting to lower his voice momentarily. He stopped her gently, his voice softer and much more gentler once his eyes settled on her. "Look...I don't want you to feel like we're pressured into anything, Katara. Our relationship is _our_ relationship, regardless of what all the elders are saying."

"I know, Zuko," she said quietly, not quite able to make eye contact with him yet. She paused, licking her lips before peering into his golden eyes hesitantly. "And I think that for all the reasons you just said, we should be totally honest with each other about how we feel, right?"

Zuko blinked. "Okay... "

Katara drew in a sharp breath before replying. "I'm sort of relieved she gave us those contraceptives."

Zuko cocked his head back in surprise, raising his eyebrows; he noted the faint blush that was still staining Katara's mocha cheeks. She still wasn't quite looking at him, and he wondered her eyes were so prominent, despite the darkness of the dimly lit coridoor. She licked her lips quickly, but for a long time; they were a mauve colour, not totally pink. They looked soft, and full, thick, almost; more sultry than anything.

All of a sudden, Zuko was glad for the contraceptives, also.

"I mean, I know we've barely been together, and I'm not saying we have to..._use _them right away or anything; but I dunno, I just have this feeling that with you...with you...it's not like Aang, you know?" she rambled rapidly, cheeks becoming pinker and pinker. "Pssh, you'd think I'd have a better way with words about this stuff, you know, being a healer and all; and it's better to be safe than sorry, right? I'm 17, and you're 19 years old! I mean, to be honest, I don't really know how long we'll be able to..._control_ ourselves; we're not exactly 12 anymore-"

"It's okay," Zuko cut in quietly, grinning at her pink cheeks. "I totally get where you're coming from. I mean, it's better we're..._equipt..._beforehand, right?"

Katara blinked. "Right."

He looked un-naturally handsome in the dim lighting of the hall; the torches held a small ember, scattered over the coridoor scarcely. He looked annoyingly charming, like the guy all the girls wanted; with his untamed hair and stockily built body, his biceps and shoulders swollen with muscles from its broadness. He was grinning at her, in a small mischievous way that unsettled Katara in the oddest fashion.

She looked analytical; her blue eyes fixated on him as she tried to figure him out. Her lips were parted as she thought hard, her brows furrowed in a slight frown as she juggled hypothesis in her head for that grin on his face. It only made Zuko grin wider, not able to stop his eyes from momentarily glancing down at her figure hugging tunic; over the slope of her hips, the arch of her back, the curve of her waist, even the arc of her neck to her slender shoulders.

"Okay, so you said be completely honest, right?" Zuko said abruptly.

Katara narrowed her eyes. "Yeah..."

"So you won't get mad, no matter how..._honest_ I am?" Zuko asked in a low voice, his grin growing wider.

She was full on glaring at him now. "...Depends on what it is."

Zuko chuckled, and it made her stomach flip; that and the fact he was edging closer to her. He towered over her petite frame; his musky incense of burnt wood intoxicating her instantly, to extent where she started to get irritated by this. Nevertheless, she couldn't quite step away; Zuko used this to his advantage, twirling some of her soft, long curly hair around his finger lazily.

"So...do you remember on the ship to Ba Sing Se? I...walked in on you in the bathroom?" Zuko murmured with a smirk.

Katara refused to let his raspy voice woo her; she glared, nodding stiffly.

"Well...you know how I said I was really sorry?" Zuko said quietly.

Katara blinked, frowning.

"Well, I wasn't _that_ sorry." Zuko admitted frankly, his smirk wider than ever.

Katara cried out in indignation, her cheeks flaring; she drew water from the air instantly, whipping Zuko's body far away from her, tossing him over to the other end of the corridor. He stumbled, steadying himself quickly before running after Katara as she stormed to her room; his laughed echoed through the walls as he called for her to wait, and found it's way to her, and she would've smirked if hadn't been so pissed off.

* * *

Wow, can't believe I managed to get this chappy out...:) I don't know why, but lately I've been so upset about Zutara never actually happening :\ it's just so depressing! It's like...ugh! Ruins my day! Actually, scratch that; ruins my _life_!

Anyways, that's pretty much it! Review? That would be nice :)

- Yin

P.S., anyone else hoping for a Zutara love child to suddenly appear in the next season of **Legend of Korra** or something? Or is it just me?


	23. Chapter 22

*sigh*...I think I have Zutara depression. Why the hell aren't they together?! :(

- Yin

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER (Believe me, if I did, I would do the RIGHT, the NORMAL thing, the HUMANE thing and have make Zutara canon! I mean, bloody hell, don't freakin' dangle the dream like in the battle with Azula, damnit!)

* * *

**Chapter 22** **  
**

Sheena screamed loudly in agony, sweat covering her body; she gripped Zuko's hand who tried to be as supportive as possible. Sheena actually appreciated this, even though she didn't show it much. The nurses didn't really do much, since Katara was like a one-woman, well oiled machine; however, they jumped at the orders she would happen to throw at them, if she did.

The baby was delivered, immediately handed to Sheena.

"Here's your baby girl..." Katara said softly, handing the screaming infant straight to its exhausted.

It was probably the only rewarding thing about being a healer; when things went wrong, they went very wrong. However, when things went right, a beautiful sight like this happened; Sheena cradled the tiny child in her arms for a few long minutes, soothing her cries just as the nurses took her away to clean her. Katara checked the child immediately as Sheena collapsed back onto the bed, exhausted.

"She's beautiful," Zuko uttered, watching Katara as she checked the child. "I mean, I know that everyone says labour is terrible and stuff, but the gift at the end of it all is so worth it."

Sheena's eyes snapped open, shooting Zuko a death glare.

"Of course you would say that! You never have to do it!" she snapped at him.

Zuko threw his arms up in innocence, wincing at his aching hand. "I'm just _saying-_"

"Zuko, don't piss her off; for Agni's sake, she just gave birth!" Katara snapped at him.

"I didn't even saying anything _bad_-" Zuko cried indignantly, before sighing in defeat and leaning back in his chair. He muttered under his breath sharply, although, immediately regretting it. "Women are crazy."

"What was that?" Sheena and Katara snapped in unison, to which Zuko just kept silent at.

All of a sudden, Sheena cried out again, clutching her stomach as she hissed in pain; Zuko became alarmed at this immediately getting up and laying a slightly terrified, supportive hand on her back as she doubled over. Katara was pretty amused by this; it was sweet how he would get so worked up over labor, despite him preaching her about all of those maternal books he has read.

"What's happening? I thought the baby was born already!" Zuko cried.

Katara rolled her eyes, but she was grinning. "It's the afterbirth, you idiot. Geez, don't get your royal panties in a twist-"

Sheena screamed again, hissing and cursing as she keeled over; Katara's brow furrowed at this. She whipped some water that was present in a bowl and began checking Sheena slowly, meticulously. The nurses, Sheena and Zuko waited impatiently, growing even more impatient as Katara's eyes widened suddenly; electric blue eyes blinking as she slowly bended the water away from Sheena's screaming form.

"I...err..." Katara started slowly. "I think...I think there are _two_."

There was silence.

"_What?_" Sheena screamed. "What do you mean _two_?"

"As in...another one," Katara said slowly. "I sensed that your baby was strangely strong, but I guess that's because there were two and I just didn't know it; I think it's a boy, and earthbender, too. The contractions have started again in preparation for-"

"I have a _son_?" Sheena whispered, auburn hair sticking to her face.

Katara smiled. "Yes, you do," she said softly. "Now your daughter will have someone to play with."

Sheena blinked slowly, glancing down at her still protruding stomach; she smiled, but it was weak, due to a lot of things other than just labour. The nurses, as well as Zuko and Katara all remained quiet as they watched Sheena. Her new born baby girl gurgled and cried, breaking the short pause in a rather nice way. Sheena held the infant close to her, and it was the first time Zuko and Katara had seen her smile genuinely for hours.

But Sheena's contractions started again, causing her to groan in agony for the next birth. She handed Zuko the baby girl carefully, whilst hissing in pain; Katara reacted reflexively to this, flicking water up from the large bowl into the air to begin healing.

"Prepare for the next birth!" she called over to the nurses, who scurried to find an extra set of equipment.

She glanced over at Zuko, who began walking up and down the room with the baby in his arms; he cooed her affectionately, and surely enough, she stopped crying eventually. Katara smiled; if anyone had told her a few years ago that Prince Zuko could ever comfort a new born, she would've died with laughter. But, in strange, uncharacteristic sort of way, it...suited him.

She found herself smiling all the way through Sheena's second set of contractions.

* * *

"What will you name them?" Katara asked, leaning against the wall as she watched the family.

Sheena held the babies in her arms, smiling down at them. They slept blissfully as she rocked them softly, just as exhausted as their mother, who was still managing to smile down at them despite her fatigue. Katara could feel Zuko brush against her shoulder behind her, and she could even feel his breath on the top of her head before he rested his chin there, watching the three with her.

"Lee and Karui." Sheena said simply, not looking up.

* * *

Three months passed, and Zuko and Katara barely even saw each other in that time; well, that wasn't completely true. They saw each other, in meetings, discussing plans for the Four Nations, conversing with elders about the rebel base they had taken down, but not actually as a couple. Because, let's face it; sneaking a kiss in before every meeting wasn't exactly much of a relationship.

Even here, standing in the middle of the hall at the Banquet thrown for their victory, they weren't really...together. Besides, it wasn't like they could be; with Aang, Sokka, Suki and Toph there, along with Katara's father and the White Lotus. They all made eyes at the pair who acted purposely indifferent with each other, in an attempt to not start a riot, since Hakoda was still unaware of their relationship.

Katara gulped down her champagne nervously, before smoothing out her navy dress; she was glad at least that all of her hair was up in some fancy hairstyle, rather than left down for her to play with worriedly. She tried to not let the thought of her father finding out about her and Zuko worry her, but it did; beyond all reason, actually. He was unpredictable, and she had no idea what to expect.

She reached over the large table beside her and grabbed another glass of champagne; downing it just as quickly. She exhaled sharply, pressing the cold glass to her forehead; she wasn't really the worrying type. She fumbled with the edge of her thin, navy blue dress; it was much easier to walk in than a kimono, but it was still uncomfortable in the sense that she wasn't used to having so much of her skin exposed, even though it touched the floor.

She glanced secretively over to her father, who laughed as he talked to master Piandao; he looked normal. As in, he didn't look like he had just found out that his daughter is involved in a relationship between a man who had once chased her and the Avatar all around the world in order to kill them. There were no frowns, no flaring nostrils, no glares being thrown at her or signs of him about to stomp his way over to her to scold her.

But the waiting was the worst part.

Her eyes didn't leave her father's form as she reached over for another glass of champagne; she came into contact with warm skin instead, forcing her to snap her head, and bend the champagne out of the dozens of glasses reflexively to attack. She calmed (though only a little) when she found Zuko staring down at her, clearly confused. She let out a sigh and dropped the alcohol back into the glasses easily.

She turned to spy on her father again, not paying much attention to Zuko; he toward over her in his extravagant Fire Lord robes, a small smile on his lips. However, he wasn't completely in a smiling mood; on numerous occasions had he found waitors staring at Katara rather openly, their eyes lingering at how her indigo dress clung to her hips and waist effortlessly.

Long story short, with a few glares thrown in, they barely looked up from the food they served.

Katara's eyes were practically through the tables over to her father who stood on the other side of the large room. She couldn't take much more of this damn intensity, and instinctively reached over for a champagne glass again. However, Zuko reached out and stopped her, yet again; she finally realized what he was doing after a few more similar occurences, glaring up at him with sharp blue eyes.

"Don't you think you've had enough champagne?" Zuko advised, his smirk still aparent.

Katara scoffed, folding her arms. "Says you, ordering 12 Mud Mayhem Madnesses that night at Ba Sing Se!"

Zuko then matched her glare. "Hey! It was my birthday!" he defended indignantly. "And if I remember correctly, it was _you_ who advised us to go out and 'have fun' that night, remember?"

Katara growled. "Don't act like you didn't enjoy it!"

"I didn't enjoy that night because of the alcohol!" Zuko cried.

"Then why did you, _Fire Lord_?" Katara hissed.

"Because I was with _you_!" Zuko screamed.

Half of the entire hall (the half that heard the two) went completely silent at their bickering, and silenced immediately as Zuko raised his voice. The young bending masters both looked around with red cheeks, laughing nervously. They stepped away from each other, since they were ridiculously close from arguing; Katara played with her dress, looking away, and Zuko cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck.

They laughed nervously, nodding politely before scurrying out onto the balcony, away from the confused stares that followed their forms for only a few minutes. They sighed as the cool wind blew against their skin, as well as the conversing voices filling the hall again once more. They stood for a few seconds, Zuko scratching the back of his neck whilst Katara played with the side of her navy dress, pressing her lips together.

"I'm sorry about yelling at you like that," she eventually spoke. "I'm just a little on edge tonight. You know, with my dad being here and all..."

Zuko frowned. "So?"

Katara rolled her eyes. "He doesn't know about us yet, Fire Lord. No one does."

He blinked. "Ooh."

They shuffled uncomfortably, and Zuko became just as nervous as her; this was her father, for Agni's sake. Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, and that fact alone frightened the young Fire Lord unimaginably. It took months for Hakoda to actually accept Zuko properly, since he tried to track down and kill his children and the Avatar, after all. Then there was the whole taking her with him to fight Azula (ending up in Katara actually defeating his sister herself), and then breaking the Avatar's heart, and then letting her die in Ba Sing Se mere months ago-

Zuko tried to calm down and rationalize with himself; he shifted uncomfortably, and it was becoming obvious at how uncertain and anxious he was growing, for even Katara frowned a little as she looked over at him secretly as he inwardly fretted. Zuko tried to think about this clearly; he put himself in Hakoda's shoes. What would he do if another young man were to have done this to his daughter?

Zuko went pale.

Judging by the conclusion, his death would be very painful.

"Zuko..?" Katara breathed, blinking at him in half confusion, half worry. He shuffled in his extravagant Fire Lord robes a little fiercely, golden eyes suddenly alert with terror and badly hidden fear. Zuko scratched his hair, messing his perfect bun a little, grinding his teeth together as he moved his hand to rub at the new stubble that was growing on his jaw fiercely.

"Look, maybe we shouldn't freak out so much," Katara tried, more for Zuko than herself. "We should just...come out and say it! I mean, what's the big deal, right? It's not like anything is set in stone-"

"Easy for you to say!" Zuko blurted out loudly. "You're not the one who's going to get attacked once we reveal ourselves publicly!"

Katara squinted in confusion, pausing from his idiocy. "Who the hell would _attack_ you, Zuko?"

Zuko shot her a glare. "Ugh, your _dad_!" he screamed. "For Agni's sake, Katara, I chased you all over the world! I tied you to a tree! I tried to kill the Avatar, your best friend, and even you on multiple occassions! Not to mention all of your other allies!"

"Zuko, my dad won't kill you-"

"Oh, _sure_-"

"Let me finish!" she snapped. She cleared her throat. "Look, either way, we have to tell him sometime, right? We can't hide it forever; I mean, even Aang and Toph are more open with each other than we are! And I promise, if my dad tries to..._kill you...-" _

He glared at her. "It's not funny."

She pursed her lips so her aching smile was far less visible. "Right, right; well, if he...gets a little too upset with you and decides to...act on his inhibitions...I promise that I'll protect you from him."

He looked at her for sincerity, for confirmation. "Really?"

She smiled, offering a handshake. "With my life."

Zuko couldn't help but return her grin; grabbing her wrist and pulling her small body into a hug. He could feel her smile against his chest as he breathed in her hair; he could feel the silk, indigo fabric of her dress as he hugged her, and it unsettled him a little as to how thin it was; sure, the weather was scorching here, even now, in the evening, but he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, since he knew Katara had far too many admirers than what normal or necassary.

Which reminded him.

"You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen," he said into her hair quietly. "The only girl I know who is as pretty as you is my mother, which is really, really pretty, by the way. And I'm sorry for getting jealous when other guys look at you; I mean, let's be honest, I'm not exactly the complacent type when it comes to you, am I?"

Katara didn't know what to say, so she just kept her mouth shut; Aang had never been this forward with her, but that didn't mean she knew how to react when Zuko was so openly blunt with her. She smiled, or at least tried to, but her stomach started to churn at the secret she was keeping from him. He looked so earnest and genuine, his smile so content as he looked down at her.

Katara's smile slipped off of her face, and she licked her lips as she looked away from him, stepping back slightly. This didn't really phase Zuko much, though, since he was still fretting about coming clean to her father. Instead, he tried to change the subject in an attempt to calm them both down even slightly before he was called out to deliver a speech on behalf of Lee and the sacrifices made in Ba Sing Se.

"In a few more months it, will be your birthday," Zuko pointed out. "We'll have to do something special, since it will be your 18th and all; however, not as special as Ba Sing Se, since that sort of went down hill-"

"Zuko," Katara sighed, playing with a strand of her hair, not wanting to look at him. "There's something I'm not telling you. "

He frowned, opening his mouth to speak, but deciding against it and letting her continue. Katara blinked rapidly as she scratched the back of her neck, hating the silent treatment Zuko gave her whenever he felt something was wrong, or she was hiding something. She folded her arms over her navy dress, exhaling sharply as she looked over the balcony, grinding her teeth together, since there was never an easy way to say this.

"Zuko, I-"

"My Lord, and Lady Katara," a butler interrupted. "It is time to give your condolences to Mrs Usanha publicly."

Zuko glanced at Katara. "Erm, thank you, I'll be right there."

Katara fumbled with her hair as the butler bowed to them both and left silently; the two stood on the balcony, not quite making eye contact with each other. The wind blew haphazardly, making Katara's hair fly about gently in all sorts of directions. She didn't care, though, as she continued to grind her teeth together so violently that even Zuko could hear the light scraping sound.

"We better go inside..." Zuko trailed off.

Katara contemplated on deciding against it, but didn't mind pushing back her revelation to a later time. They held each other's hands for support, sauntering back into the main hall that was growing more and more quiet as Aang, Toph and Sokka joined the two on the platform. Sheena sat a little away from them, facing them a little as she rocked the twins in her arms, who were blissfully asleep.

They all dealt with grief in different ways; Sokka would seek out a hug from Suki, since he didn't like being left alone to think about it all. He barely even knew Lee, but that wasn't the point; he had sacrificed himself to save his little sister, and that automatically made the man fit into Sokka's small circle of family, his small circle of people that he couldn't ever afford to loose.

Except, he ended up loosing one after all.

Toph tried to eliminate all silence possible, which was totally unlike her; she would fill the air with pointless conversations with Aang, because Agni forbid she'd have to remember the sound of Lee's voice of appreciation as she had taught him basic metal bending, or that she'd stop for a second to feel the heartbeats of his wife and two children who rocked half heartedly beside them in a chair.

Aang tried avoid contact with as many people as possible (excluding Toph); because if he saw them, he would just be reminded of Lee's face, another face he had failed to save, another smiling face that had died too quickly, a face that he would probably see again, in many years, in his son and daughter that slept so peacefully in their mother's arms. Aang stepped closer to Toph, slightly jealous that she was free of sight.

Zuko could never be free or try to forget, which results in the long nights of paperwork and odd bottle of fire liquor here and there that he would crack open with Katara when they couldn't quite mask the sound of Lee's voice in their head. He had other priorities, an entire nation, an entire world to put back together again, and so no one could know how much time he spent mourning with Katara about just one of those people. Because despite Lee's sacrifice, the truth of the matter was that the he loves ended up dying anyway.

Katara had seen many, many deaths in her life; more so than anyone else. Sometimes, on those rare occasions when she found herself healing to no end, it was a little easier to forget; but then something like this happens. The person who dies in your arms, in front of you, is not a stranger you can drink away with Zuko; it's a friend. It's a brother. It's the reason why you're here, and there's no way you'll be able to forget that.

The entire hall was silent, and soon enough, all that could be heard was the rocking of Sheena's chair as she lulled her children to sleep; Zuko held onto Katara's hand, not letting go. They all had a part to say, and for Agni's sake, she wondered how the hell she was supposed to start something like this off in the first place.

Katara's eyes never leave the babies, they never leave Sheena. Life, they all know now, is just one big circle; the Karui that died in Lee's kitchen, was now the Karui that was his daughter that he was never able to see. The Lee that died in Ba Sing Se was now the Lee that was the son he never even knew about; and Lee's mother, a single parent, was now his wife, caring for their children until they were old enough to repeat this cycle once more.

Zuko squeezed Katara's hand; Sheena nodded at her, and if she had any tears left, she would have cried them.

Katara inhaled, closing her eyes briefly.

"Lee Usanha was one of the bravest men I have ever met. "

* * *

Okay. I know.

I know this was waaaaaaayyy overdue; like, a crazy amount. And I'm sorry. But no one flipping told me that in senior year, your teachers just suddenly go berserk and set deadlines all over the place for work that you didn't even know about! But I know, I know, that's no excuse! I've had a guilty conscience for two whole months now as a result. Happy?

Believe it or not, guys, but this is actually the penultimate chapter; there's one more after this, then the epilogue, and then THAT'S IT!

After that, this fic is finished! :( More notes will be made next chapter about other stories and stuff; check out my new story that I'm writing, called **The Fall, and The Rise**. It's a Zutara slave fic, but I plan to spice it up a bit, and make it a little less cliche :) More info on my profile!

Till next time! Thanks for being so patient! :)

- Yin


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